Evil Prevails
by JourneyIntoMadness
Summary: Four months after the events with Jason Brody, Vaas attempts to reestablish his hold over Rook Island. Darius, Hoyt Volker's little brother, takes over the business. Kendra West, a world renowned explorer and pacifist, embarks on a journey to find the ancient ruins of the Rakyat and what their warrior's powers entail. Will this be a journey of self-discovery or one into madness?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

**FCs:** Kendra (Claudia Black), Vincent (Arnold Vosloo), Charlie (Eric Balfour), David (Richard Madden), Isobella (Rachel Weisz), Darius (Leonardo DiCaprio), Citra (Zoe Saldana), Vaas (Michael Mando, duh)_  
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* * *

**Prologue**_  
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* * *

_They say evil prevails when good men fail to act, they ought to say evil prevails..._

In the bowels of a yacht, a young woman studied the rough sketch maps of an uncharted archipelago. However, this group of islands didn't exist on any new world map. It wasn't meant to be known to the general population. It had lain hidden far off the coast of Papua New Guinea. According to the leather bound journal the woman had carried around for the past few months, this seemingly majestic place was called Rook Island and home to the Rakyat, an indigenous population that went back a few thousand years. This was the destination of the yacht and all those aboard.

The woman's name was Kendra, a professional, world renowned explorer. For years, she tracked down ancient artifacts and sites for museums, archaeologists and private collectors alike. She was the leader of her six member team. The other five joined her in the room she currently occupied. Filing in one after the other, they began to form a circle around the table upon which Kendra had laid out the maps. "So this is Rook Island." One of the members stated. His name was Charlie. Standing at six foot two, he was a lithe fellow with dark, curly hair and donned Gustave Courbet like facial hair. He was the technician of the group.

Kendra nodded at him with a smile, "Indeed it is. For millennia the natives lived in total pacifism, then the British came and exploited the place for its phosphate. The natives became laborers for the British Empire and didn't receive any benefits from it. Then World War 2 happened and the Japanese invaded and set up all kinds of outposts. After that, not much is known. The entries in this journal stop. I don't know what happened to the people after the war or if anyone is still there. We'll have to be careful when we get in there. We could run into hostiles."

The room was silent after hearing that last bit of information. They were essentially walking into the unknown and they weren't quite comfortable with that. They didn't mind danger. Rock-climbing, parachuting, spelunking, all kinds of hazards revolved around their job. People, though, people were hard to handle. Kendra observed the looks on their faces and smirked, "It'll be a real challenge, that's for sure. The reward will be worth it, though." They each nodded their agreement, excitement replacing apprehension. Four of them left to prepare for tomorrow, that's when they would reaching the eastern shore of the northernmost island. Kendra's trusted friend, Vincent, stayed behind. He was a little more wary than the others.

He folded his arms across his chest. He had dark, buzz cut hair, an almost olive complexion and piercing brown eyes. He was an ex South African soldier who had gotten into the explorer business through some rather scrupulous methods, which happened to leave a few bodies in his wake. Upon meeting Kendra, though, he decided to follow her instead and betray his old employers. He was the enforcer of the group and kept them safe. Kendra trusted him with her life. "I've heard rumors about Rook. Pirates occupy the north island and mercenaries are on the south. There are a few friendly Rakyat left, though. Are you sure this is a good idea?" Vincent inquired, making sure Kendra was squared away with reality.

She hovered over the material she had on the island. It lacked any information about pirates and mercenaries, then again, the entries in the journal were from seventy years ago. A lot could happen in that span of time. The brunette glanced to Vincent. "I'm aware that...things may get hairy but that's why I have you. Besides, this journal tells us exactly where the ancient sites are. We find them, we survey them and we get back to the boat. No one will know we were there. Three days, Vincent, that's all I need."

"I just hope our quarry is worth it." Was Vincent's only response as he exited the room.

"It will be." Kendra stated after him but he kept going. She snorted and shook her head, before taking one more look at the table. "It has to be."

* * *

On the northern island of Rook, the notorious Vaas Montenegro sat in his shanty absolutely stewing. The events involving Jason Brody had happened just four months ago. Even if Citra killed that American fuck, it still affected him today. It took him a long time to gather up his remaining pirates once more and convince them that things would go back to normal. Then there was the rebuilding of their encampments and reestablishing contact with their buyers. The worse part was the loss of Hoyt Volker. He ran the show, he had the most money and power and even had his own army. With him out of the way, things were much harder. However, Hoyt's younger brother Darius had sort of come to the rescue. He picked up the pieces and led the people with just as much finesse, if not more so than his brother. He was extremely pissed at Vaas, though. The druggie bastard had really dropped the ball. Revenue was down and expenses were up. They needed new crops and new hostages to be sold off as slaves.

Darius had the brilliant idea of planting 'travel agents' on the mainland to convince susceptible tourists into going to the islands. They would disappear without a trace and no one would be the wiser as to where they went or who the culprit was. Four months and they only brought back about eighty percent of the empire. More of everything is what they needed. Vaas twisted the rope in his hand around and around, the tension growing tighter with every turn. They needed someone with a hefty price tag on their head and then the business would be set again.

"Vaas, I need you to handle the rejects." The voice interrupted the man's thoughts. Green hues glanced up at the pakeha and he smirked, "No problem, hermano." Dealing with the rejects was Vaas's favorite pastime. It would most likely put him at ease about their current predicament anyways, so he didn't mind the little Volker ordering him around. For now.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Arrival

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

**FCs:** Kendra (Claudia Black), Vincent (Arnold Vosloo), Charlie (Eric Balfour), David (Richard Madden), Isobella (Rachel Weisz), Darius (Leonardo DiCaprio), Citra (Zoe Saldana), Vaas (Michael Mando, duh)_  
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**Chapter 1 - The Arrival  
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* * *

The yacht, Veritas, came up along side the eastern shores of Rook's north island. It was the morning after Kendra's little meeting with her people. The sun was just now peaking over the horizon of the ocean and lit up the island beyond in a hue of oranges and reds. Kendra donned long brown khakis, a light green tank and hiking boots. Her long brunette hair was swept into an appropriate ponytail for they would trekking through some pretty rough terrain.

She stood upon the deck of the ship on the starboard bow, binoculars in hand and observed the landscape fifty meters from the yacht. She then looked at the journal of the old explorer Francisco Castillo. Their first site was about 6 kilometers inland. They had to embark now if they wanted to reach the place before nightfall and have a look around.

Isobella, the team's lead historian joined Kendra and looked out at the beautiful island. It was truly a sight to behold. It held such power and awe, one couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. She then tore her eyes away and glanced down at the journal in her boss's grasp. "You never did explain how you came across that journal."

The other female smirked, "It came to me in the mail from a friend of mine. Francisco Castillo was his great-great grandfather. Since he's no explorer, he sent it to me to see if I could make any use of it. Apparently he had been trekking across the east most of his life trying to find a connection between the different cultures and where they originally came from. He came to Rook Island late in his career and discovered something extraordinary. Some sort of temple somewhere on the island is said 'to hold the power of the Rakyat.' It was supposed to free the inhabitants from any oppressors. However, after World War 2 Castillo stopped writing and he was never able to find the temple. The Rakyat warriors wouldn't let him near it. This entire place is shrouded in mystery."

"And so we go like Alice down the rabbit hole!" David erupted, having been standing behind the women the entire time. The Scot grinned when they looked back at him. "What? That's essentially what we're doin' right?"

"Of course, but we're gonna find our way out because you're the navigator," Charlie retorted carrying some equipment to the motorized dinghy.

Kendra snapped the journal shut with a bemused smile, "So long as we don't find any mad hatters or red queens, we'll be fine."

"What about the animals?" Charlie asked, turning to Kendra. "I mean...it is a jungle in there."

Kendra nodded to Vincent who was currently loading ammo into his rifle. Charlie made an 'o' shape with his mouth and then went back to loading the boat.

"With Castillo's journal as our guide we shouldn't have any problems." Kendra stated as she moved to stuff said journal into her canvas knapsack.

"Right, and seventy years worth of underbrush in our way." David replied, blue eyes following Kendra's movements.

"Right and that's why you're the navigator," she countered with a sly grin. As a wildlife expert and guide, it was David's job to get them to their destination as quickly and safely as possible. He mocked a chuckle at Kendra and looked back to Isobella who offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Come along then. We've much to do!" The historian chimed, suddenly clamoring to get her own things into the boat. Out of everyone on this little expedition, she was probably the most excited. Working at the British Museum and setting up displays or working as a conservator was one thing, but being out here where the history was alive, was something entirely different. Isobella was the newest member of the team and this was her third trip out with them. This was her first time exploring the eastern cultures though. She couldn't wait to see what this Rakyat civilization had in store for them.

* * *

With all their equipment loaded up, the group finally disembarked from the yacht and made their way to the shore.

Once Kendra's feet hit the sand a sense of adventure surged through her veins. She helped everyone pull the boat ashore and unload their paraphernalia. Within minutes they were mobile. Vincent radioed the captain of their yacht and told him to be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior. He then handed a rifle to David who took up the front position, while he took up the rear. With a map and compass in hand, Charlie helped Kendra decide with way to go. Soon afterwards they were trekking into the thick jungle floor and into the unknown.

David had slung his rifle across his back and took to using a machete to clear the path. Isobella would stop every once in awhile to mark a tree so the company wouldn't get turned around or lost.

"Alright, we need to make our way north to the river and then follow it west to reach the first site." Kendra stated, making sure everyone could hear her. With a destination in mind, they pushed forward with a cautious silence.

Monkeys high in the tops of the trees announced the approach of strangers as made their way through thick vines and gnarled roots. It had only been half an hour and they were already in a sweat. It was really only 80 degrees here, but the density of the jungle made it humid and the air itself was thick, making it hard to breathe properly. After about an hour, the group stopped for five minutes to rest a bit and drink some water.

"How much further?" Isobella asked as she fanned herself, but it was no use.

Kendra checked the map and then her watch, "About another two hours. We're going two kilometers per hour basically."

"Well at least it's not the mountains. Christ, you remember Nepal?" Charlie asked, before drinking some water.

"I don't think anyone can forget Nepal," Vincent replied.

"What happened?" Isobella questioned, since she was not a part of the team during that time.

Kendra capped her flask and put it away, "Long story short, imagine trekking over the mountains during a snowstorm while trying to stay ahead of a private army of mercenaries. That was Nepal."

"Don't forget about the cave in." David stated.

"And that. The entrance to the temple we were in was destroyed and we had to blow out an exit on the other side," Kendra explained as she shrugged on her knapsnack.

"So I take it this is more pleasant compared to that?" Isobella questioned again.

"Yes." The other four stated in unison.

After another hour, they finally reached the river and began following it west, just like Castillo's journal had instructed. After yet another hour they had reached the first site marked in the journal. It wasn't even noon yet. Which was good, because it gave them time to secure the area, set up a camp and then explore the ruins. They did just that, popping up a tent large enough to sleep five people. Charlie pulled his little toy which allowed him to map out the area and have a stratigraphic look at what they were dealing with. Kendra went ahead and started fishing the area for clues, attempting to retrace Castillo's steps while Isobella took pictures of the ruins and symbols etched upon them.

"Aha! Found you. Kendra I think I got the entrance." Charlie announced, tapping away on his laptop. "Go about thirty feet to your left and it should be there."

Kendra did so counting out her paces until she reached thirty. She then turned back to Charlie with an inquisitive look. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! Turn around and look, it should be right in front of you."

Kendra turned and stared down the ornate rock face in front of her. She reached out and felt around it, looking for a uniform crevice. When she found it, she saw that it went all the way around the rock face. "It's a cover stone," she said to herself. "Someone bring some pry bars." She called out, taking a step back. Vincent and David came over with pry bars in hand and followed Kendra's direction. She wanted them to be careful. They may not have been full fledged archaeologists but they still respected the site enough to not damage it.

It took the two men some time to loosen the mortar around the cover stone and then carefully pull it down. It wasn't as hot out in the open, around the stone ruins as it was back in the foliage of the jungle but it was still enough to be slightly uncomfortable you were new to the area.

Once the entrance was revealed Kendra stepped in with a flashlight and scanned the walls that were covered in glyphs. This room wasn't all that big, nor all that special to any would be looters. It was just a small, almost circular room about the size of a modest yurt. Every inch of the walls were just glyphs and rough hewn drawings of history. Isobella and Charlie followed in after her as Vincent setup some proper lighting.

"Start recording. We aren't going to be here long." Kendra ordered as she examined one of the glyphs. A lot of them she recognized but they looked similar to other languages like Malay or Thai, while some others were undecipherable. She assumed those were the Rakyat language. "Interesting."

* * *

Day turned into night. The sounds of nocturnal animals like tigers and pumas replaced that of the monkeys and birds. David had already started a small fire and prepared some food for the group. Everyone else was still inside the glyph shrine recording the language, taking pictures and even doing a rubbing of some parts. When dinner was ready, they stopped for the night and all sat down around the fire to enjoy their meal. They exchanged stories about their travels and then some ideas about the Rakyat and what else they could find on this island. "There's work here that could last for years." Isobella stated rather longingly as she gazed up at the stars.

Kendra wanted to respond. Instead she kept her mouth shut and decided to turn in for the night. She went into her designated side of the tent and zipped up the privacy partition. Her mind was racing about today's events and what tomorrow had in store for them. She turned out the light and rested her against the pillow. The pit of her stomach twisted only slightly, feeling as if something was wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it. Apprehension came with this sort of job but this time it was different. Kendra shook it off and quickly fell asleep. Everything would be fine.


	3. Chapter 2 - Down the Rabbit Hole

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

**FCs:** Kendra (Claudia Black), Vincent (Arnold Vosloo), Charlie (Eric Balfour), David (Richard Madden), Isobella (Rachel Weisz), Darius (Leonardo DiCaprio), Citra (Zoe Saldana), Vaas (Michael Mando, duh)_  
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**Chapter 2 - Down the Rabbit Hole  
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* * *

_"Did I ever tell you the definition of insanity?"_

Kendra woke up with a start and looked around. She was still in her tent and everything seemed perfectly normal. The light of the sun blazed even through the canvas of the tent, which, among other things, made it impossible to sleep in. She could hear her companions were already up and getting prepared for breakfast. David had found some quail eggs and was apparently quite happy about it. The brunette rubbed her forehead, trying to remember the dream she had but her mind came up blank. She shook it off and decided to roll out of her sleeping bag. She crawled out of the tent some time later and was greeted by Vincent with a cup of tea. "Morning."

Kendra grunted and accepted the tea. She suffered from the same dysfunction as anyone else; the lack of mental capacity before a good brew. She plotted down on a log next to Charlie and glanced over at what he was doing, which was reading through Castillo's journal. He was on the part about the glyph shrine. Castillo had correctly determined that the writing wasn't uniform. It was in fact, made of various languages that had been twisted into one. "Kind of like English." Kendra blurted out to no one in particular. Charlie understood though and chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"Is there any chance of us translating it?" He asked.

Kendra shook her head and announced, "Not my division," before slowly sipping her tea. "Castillo managed to translate some of it though. At least enough to tell us a bit about the Rakyat."

"How many of these sites are there anyways?" David inquired as he cooked up the eggs and some corn beef hash.

"He documented six, the temple would make seven but he never saw it and he states that there may be more on the southern island. I have to wonder if there are ruins on the other island and if it's different from the ones here," Charlie answered.

"Two different variations of the same culture?" Isobella questioned.

"Or two different cultures," replied Vincent.

"Regardless," Kendra interrupted, "Our ultimate goal is to find the Temple of the Rakyat and find out what this legend is all about. Could be bullshit...could be an artifact."

"Wait...you think this power of the Rakyat is literally a power source? Like a device?" Charlie asked, suddenly intrigued.

"Why else would I come all this way?"

The others grinned, this new revelation giving them a different perspective. "Look," Kendra began, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "There's a legend, a prophecy even, stating that a warrior within the Rakyat tribe would one day rise and lead the people into a new era and this warrior would carry with him, the power of the gods. According to what Castillo translated, the Rakyat believe their power comes from tatus they obtain after they've completed a trial. The warrior god would not only receive the tatu of power but he would also brandish this scepter-" she grabbed the journal from Charlie and flipped to the drawing of the scepter she spoke of. "The staff is made from intricately carved wood etched with tatus, the tip is of obsidian and the center...well the center is a mystery, but it's the power source."

"Shit this expedition just got better," David exclaimed, bursting into a grin. He then quickly served up the food, a new zeal in his movements. Everyone was even more intrigued about this trip, but with new excitement came new questions.

They finished up their survey of this area, dismantled the tent and packed their bags. By noon, they were off again, this time traveling further north to find the next site. Finding it wasn't as hard as the last one. About an hour into it, Kendra took it upon herself to climb to the top of one of the trees.

When she was at the top she could see just how far the island stretched. "Christ you could get lost in here. It's bloody Nepal all over again." She pulled out her binoculars and found the second site not too far from their current position. The shrine sat upon a long set of stairs that very much resembled those of the Maya and it peaked up above the tree tops like a beacon.

Back on the ground, Kendra relayed what she saw and commented that they were in for a shock when they got there. Indeed they were when they cut through the vines and walked into a very small clearing. Much smaller than the last one. In front of them was a small river that ran directly in front of a tall staircase that led up to the next shrine. The area was devoid of any other man made objects. It seemed almost out of place, which made everyone question why it was there in the first place.

Vincent grew more wary the deeper they pushed in. It reminded him too much of the Congo. They could be under watch right now. The jungle's lush greenery was thick enough to hide anyone or anything. All those rumors swirled around his head now more than ever. He went to Kendra and suggested they not set up camp here. The area was too exposed. The woman knew better than to question his judgment. She simply nodded and told the others to go ahead and do the survey. They needed to move out by dusk and follow the river to better grounds.

The shrine here was more or less the same as the other one. The walls were covered in the same glyphs but they told a different part of the story. "It's a storybook!" She exclaimed upon the realization. "It's a theory but I honestly think this is a storybook. Each shrine was made like it's a new chapter. I'll bet you anything it all comes together at that temple."

Charlie furrowed his brows at what she said. He sort of agreed with her but he also felt like something was missing. Who would go through the trouble of making places this elaborate just to tell a story? He left Kendra and Isobella to finish up the survey and went to scan the area for anything else. Vincent told him to take David with him and not to wander too far, "You should call me on your radio if you find anything."

Charlie agreed to the conditions, then he and David were off. Vincent stayed in front of the steps and continued to watch the area like a hawk. After exploring a few hundred meters behind the shrine, Charlie and David came across a rather rickety bridge that crossed a ravine. It was a long drop into a particularly unfriendly river below. The two carefully got across, though they probably had a few strokes along the way every time the bridge creaked or bounced under their weight.

When they were on the other side, they split up, David taking the left side and Charlie taking the right. After a good ten minutes of cutting through vines and marking trees, a yell echoed across the jungle to where David was. He quickly backtracked and made his way to Charlie, rifle in hand. The yells continued and immediately turned into pleas for help. David increased his pace and tried to get Charlie on the radio but the man wouldn't answer. He followed the marks his companion left on the trees and finally found him wrestling with a puma.

Charlie's arm was trapped within the beastie's mouth but he also wedged a thick branch in between its powerful jaws and tried to use it as a lever to prevent his arm from getting completely annihilated. David didn't waste a second. He came to a dead stop, aimed and opened fire upon the wild feline. It yelped out in pain, having been hit in the shoulder and let go of Charlie before racing off into the jungle. Charlie examined his arm a bit before plopping his head back on the forest floor, he looked up at David with a smile and waved his uninjured arm, "Sup, bro. Thanks for the rescue."

David shook his head and helped his friend up, "What is with you and cats, man?"

"Ah, you know, they hate me, I hate them."

"Lemme look at your arm," David demanded, slinging the rifle back over his shoulder. He turned Charlie's arm over and examined the bite marks. They were deep enough to draw blood but it was a negligent amount. "You'll live. We'll get you back to the shrine and get you bandaged up."

Charlie shook his head and pulled his arm away, "Not yet. Take a look at this." He approached some vines and pulled them back, revealing a large carved head covered in blood and fresh body parts. It wasn't a pretty sight. The body had been ripped to shreds, the intestines were spilled out along with the kidneys and stomach. A leg was half missing and so was the neck.

"Whoa." David stated, stepping closer. He bent down and examined the body, using the knife to move bits and pieces around. Charlie wanted to throw up. "He's fresh. About a few days old. That's probably why you got attacked by the puma. You interrupted her meal."

Vincent's voice crackled over the radio asking if everything was alright. "Yeah, yeah, just a puma." David answered, deciding not to mention the body just yet. "So...we finally have ourselves a native, the poor bastard. Why's he out here?"

Charlie shrugged and stepped away before moving to point at a cave up ahead, "Maybe he came from there. I noticed it right before the puma jumped me." David stood up and moved ahead towards the cave. He pulled out his flashlight and inspected the inside a bit. There was nothing there. No drawings, no makeshift tools, no signs of life whatsoever. He called up Vincent on the radio and reported his find, "It's the perfect place to stay for the night." That's all Vincent needed to hear.

* * *

Kendra already started packing their things when she heard them on the radio. Vincent went about doing the same, glad to be moving someplace secluded. The three of them left the shrine and followed the markings on the trees to the ravine. Kendra was not a fan of heights. She didn't have a fear of them, she just didn't like them, especially when she was depending on a bridge that only God knew how old it was. It didn't help that some of the slates were missing. The trio decided to cross one at a time to be on the safe side.

Once they were across, they followed the markings again to where Charlie and David was. Charlie quickly ran up and stopped them before they could see the body, warning them of its existence. Isobella immediately looked the other way and walked right past, she did not possess the mental fortitude it took to look at a decimated body. Kendra did, however.

She passed her stuff to Charlie and went to examine the body. She took out her own knife and poked around much like the Scot had done earlier. She could make out the fact that it was a male in his mid-twenties. He wore a red shirt and military fatigues. Her knife found something metal. She used her boot to move the body a bit and discovered he had a handgun strapped to his hip.

Vincent gazed down at her and gave her a look. She knew what it meant but decided to not comment on it. This wasn't their first tango with men who had guns. So she wasn't as worried as Vincent. Sometimes she swore he was more of a mother hen than her. The brunette rose and silently made her way to the cave where Isobella was currently wrapping up Charlie's forearm.

"You are such a magnet for trouble Charlie," Kendra stated, shaking her head. She moved towards the back of the cave and threw her pack to the side, before sitting down and leaning against the cave wall for support. It was already getting dark outside.

Charlie glanced back at her with a smile, "You know you love it." She refused to answer that and instead pulled out the camera she was using to record the glyphs from today. She then pulled out Castillo's journal and began reading up on the second shrine. This one told the part about the journey of the warrior and what he would have to endure to succeed. "This guy would have had to make a lot of sacrifices. We're talking Jesus-level sacrifices."

David snorted, "Jesus-level?"

"Yes. Complete abstinence. No immorality. Suffer for the cause of others. Choose the people over oneself. Love your neighbors, blah blah blah. Typical things humans should do, but don't. I mean the Rakyat were initially pacifists."

"So you'd fit right in," The ginger Scot quipped. Kendra took the journal and smacked him over the head.

It was true, though. Kendra was a pacifist. She didn't believe in war or violence or any of that 'for the greater good' bullshit. Death was nothing but a business to people these days. Some deaths held more precedence than others. A celebrity dies and the whole world weeps. Her brother was a fallen hero in the Iraq War and she was the only one who wept for him. She had a deep seeded loathing for certain people and did well to stay far away from them. How much farther could one go then out in the middle of nowhere looking for long, lost ruins. It was a lot more peaceful and a lot less stressful than working in a urban area. Her parents disapproved, of course. The West family came from wealth and splendor and Kendra had shunned every bit of it. Though, she did use her inheritance to kick start her exploration career. She hadn't looked back since.

* * *

The morning came early again and Kendra was the first to wake up. Last night's events had fled her memory but they all had dinner and put out their sleeping bags there on the cavern floor. That much she could discern. She rose up and exited the cave to stretch out her sore and weary muscles. She then dug herself a little latrine away from the cave and behind some bushes to let her body do its morning duties. Afterwards, she sanitized her hands and prepared some tea. Vincent was up upon hearing his boss move around.

"Did you sleep?"

"Of course I did," Kendra replied over her shoulder. Vincent knew she had had problems sleeping lately and it was only getting worse. Vincent vacated his sleeping bag and rolled it up to strap it to his knapsack. He then left the cave to do what Kendra had done earlier. He came back to have tea held up in his direction. He accepted it and sat Indian style across from the brunette. "We should leave in the morning. That man out there will certainly have people looking for him."

"Before we even find the temple?"

"It's getting dangerous and you know it."

Kendra looked at the man incredulously, "And when haven't we been involved in danger?"

"This is different."

Kendra tilted her head, knowing just how secretive Vincent could be. She was no idiot and he knew that. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there?"

Vincent remained silent.

"Vincent! Who is on this island?" Kendra demanded, not caring if the others heard her. Her voice certainly woke them from their sleep and they peered up to see what the two were arguing about.

"He's not on this one. He's on the southern one. But I'd rather he not know we were ever here."

"South African?"

"Yes."

"So those rumors...they're not really rumors."

"No."

Kendra abandoned her tea at this point. She was upset that Vincent kept this from her, after all the years they worked together, she thought he would trust her with such vital information. The brunette rose up and left the cave, leaving the others not previously involved in the conversation to question what the hell just happened. Vincent immediately followed after her. He grabbed her arm and she wrenched it away, "Are you fucking serious? I mean really. This is exactly how we got in trouble in Nepal! You need to stop keeping secrets from me."

"I thought we would be fine. We're sticking to the jungle and the ruins. We're only here for three days to do a quick survey and then we come back later. That's how it was supposed to go. So, no, I didn't tell you. Then we came across him-" He pointed to the mutilated body, "and I knew we were in trouble. There's a reason why this island is uncharted."

Kendra was fuming but she was able to retain her control and not blow up on Vincent. She knew everything he did was to protect her and her people. She had no reason to distrust him but it ate at her that he still kept things from her, especially vital things such as some possible warlord in their vicinity. "Okay, I'm sorry, but this ends here. No more secrets."

He nodded in acquiescence. Kendra turned to head back to the cave but the faint sound of a horn made her stop in her tracks. She whipped around to face Vincent. "What the hell was that?"

"We need to leave."

Kendra ran back to the cave without a second thought. "Pack your shit, we're leaving now!"

Charlie got up, "But what abo-"

"Don't argue with me! There's water in the basement." Kendra stated, stuffing her knapsack with her things. The other three knew what 'water in the basement' meant. It was their code for imminent danger. No questions were asked. They all packed their things and put out the small fire that Kendra started earlier for breakfast. The brunette was out of the cave in a minute flat and passed Vincent his gun and knapsack. The horn sounded again, faint echoes of a voice followed it this time. "I recommend we not go across that bridge." Kendra retorted. The others had made their way of the cave and grouped around Vincent. David made sure his gun was loaded and had it at the ready.

"David, find us a way out of here." Vincent ordered.

Charlie passed the map to the Scotsman and he quickly determined their current position. "North would be our best option."

Without further word, David led the way and everyone else followed. They ran this time, neglecting to cut the vines. They crashed through them and hopped over roots. The howls of monkeys followed them as they made their escape. The horn sounded again, it was getting closer. The steps of the team were frantic, their hearts in their throat as they navigated the rough terrain. Isobella tripped and almost fell but Kendra's quick reflexes prevented the woman from falling flat on her face. She hoisted up Isobella by her pack and then thrust her forward. In no time, they were out of the jungle. David skid to a stop and Kendra ran into him. "David-" she stopped whatever she was about to say and saw why he stopped. They were on a road, a well used dirt road. Adjacent to this road was a low valley that contained a rather large village.

"Move, move," Vincent said, pushing them off the road and into the ditch below. Kendra quickly whipped out her binoculars and had a look. "Red shirts, just like the man at the cave...AK-47s...oh my God." She lowered the binoculars some and glanced at Vincent.

"What?" Charlie asked sharply.

"Cages. There's cages...with people. Those men are pirates and we're fucked."

"Oh this is way worse than Nepal."

"We're not fucked! We can just go around them and get back to the yacht!" Isobella countered.

"The yacht. Oh my God the captain." Kendra declared.

Vincent got a hold on his radio and called to the captain. "Mr. Fontaine...Fontaine answer me." The radio was silent, nothing but static. "Fontaine!"

_Crackle. Crackle_ "They're att- _crackle_ -the ship! Se- _crackle_ -mayday! GET OUT!- **Boom.**" The sound of an explosion reached their ears through the radio and across the jungle. Kendra sat up and looked out east where the yacht was at. Plumes of black smoke met her eyes that were now threatening to spill tears. The sound of a vehicle met her ears next. She saw the occupants speed around the corner and veer towards them. "Run!" The others were on their feet, forgetting about the yacht and were off again. One of the red shirted pirates blew a horn and signaled their position. He and his three other cohorts exited the jeep and chased after the group.

"Vaas, Vaas! Los encontramos! (We found them!)" One of the pirates stated over the radio.

Adrenaline pumped through their veins as they raced down the hill. Gunfire soon trailed after them but the pursuers were purposely missing. Vincent didn't like this. It felt like they were being corralled. The horn sounded again. Vincent grabbed onto Kendra and yelled, "They're setting up a trap! We need to split up now!" Kendra nodded in agreement and broke off from Vincent. He grabbed Isobella and Charlie and went one way while Kendra went the other with David. The pirates split up as well and kept chasing after. Vincent and his two crossed another road as a jeep headed their way. It swerved around them and cut off their path. AK-47s were in their face before they could divert. The pirates yelled at them and ordered them to get on the ground.

Kendra and David kept running, despite hearing the other three being captured. The brunette spotted a heavy branch up ahead and stopped to grab it. She signaled for David to keep going as she hid behind a tree. As the pirate came down the hill, Kendra swung out and hit him square in the chest with the branch. He hit the ground hard and coughed up blood. David was on him in a minute with his rifle at the ready. "Give me an excuse." The pirate put up his hands the best he could even if he was in immense pain. David hit the man in the face with the butt end of his gun. Kendra ran off to try and help her friends and David soon followed after.

It was too late for them, though, they were being tied up and hoisted into a jeep. The pirates spotted them and shouted. Vincent shook his head to stop Kendra from trying anything stupid. David grabbed her and started to run back but stopped when faced with two other pirates. The brunette still had the branch in hand. She swung at one of the pirates and knocked the gun from his hands. David quite literally pounced the other guy and had a struggle with him. Kendra may not have been a believer in violence, but she knew how to handle herself. However, the pirate she was fighting played dirty and gained the upper hand. He threw dirt in her face and she stumbled backwards. Before she could even ready herself for an assault the butt of the AK-47 went straight across her skull and knocked her unconscious.

* * *

**Author's note: **Awh, shit's kicking off now! Sorry to make you guys suffer through a little backstory. I swear it'll be important later on, in particular to Vaas. According to ubisoft, Vaas was destined to be the leader of the Rakyat but he shirked his responsibilities and fell right into Hoyt Volker's hands. So that'll be explored later on~

Hope you guys are liking it so far!


	4. Chapter 3 - The Players

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

**FCs:** Kendra (Claudia Black), Vincent (Arnold Vosloo), Charlie (Eric Balfour), David (Richard Madden), Isobella (Rachel Weisz), Darius (Leonardo DiCaprio), Citra (Zoe Saldana), Vaas (Michael Mando, duh)_  
_

* * *

**Chapter 3 - The Players  
**

* * *

_What is this not fun anymore? Have I failed to entertain you?_

Kendra's eyes slowly emerged from behind heavy lids. Pain immediately shot up through her skull, synapses firing at an excruciating rate. She yelled out and gripped each side of her head, trying to make it stop. "Who the hell's been tapdancing on my brain?!"

"No one, no one," Vincent assured, taking a hold of her shoulders and helping her sit up. "Look at me, look at me!" Kendra gazed at him constantly blinking to try and clear her vision. "How many fingers?"

"Three," she responded.

"Your name?"

"Kendra West."

"Your birthday."

"Oh...October 11th. I'm not telling you the bloody year."

Vincent smirked and examined her eyes next to make sure they were dilating properly. "Do you feel dizzy, do you feel like vomiting?"

"No. I'm fine really. I don't have a concussion alright. How long was I out?" She inquired now taking a look at her surroundings. Her eyes grew a bit wide when she realized she was in a wooden cage. Her, Vincent and Charlie occupied this one. The one right next to them contained Isobella and David. They seemed unscathed, except for David who had a bloody lip. She suddenly remembered what had happened. It was late in the afternoon by now. It would be dusk in about two more hours. The cover of night could do them some good.

"Not too long. Just a few hours," Vincent replied before sitting down adjacent to her.

She glanced at Charlie and he nodded silently at her to confirm he was okay. Kendra smiled a little but not much. The situation had kept her reticent while she tried to piece everything together. They were being held captive by pirates. This could easily go one of two ways; they could either get sold as slaves, or get themselves killed. If they were lucky they would held for ransom. Kendra wished for such luck. "Do we have a game plan cause it's going to get dark soon."

"Not yet." Vincent replied.

"From what I tell, there's pirates all over and from what I heard, this isn't their only camp. How we didn't run into them earlier, I don't know but they're all over the bloody island. This whole place is their turf," David stated from across the cages.

Movement caught Kendra's eye and she looked towards it. Someone was coming their way. "And this must be the leader," she mumbled.

Indeed he was the leader. He sauntered up to them with an air of authority and a cocky smile. He probably liked to think of himself as being on top of the food chain around here. His hostages were no doubt as important as algae in his eyes. He bent down in front of Kendra's cage and looked at it's occupants one by one. Then he looked back at the other two. "Welcome to my island. I am your host, Vaas Montenegro. So who do we have here?" He pulled out their IDs that was amongst their captured equipment. "We have Vincent, Charlie, Isobella, I like that name, David aaand Kendra. Now lemme tell you something, all of you-" he said, pointing at each one, "are very fucking expensive, aren't you? I mean your equipment...it's top notch. I know why you're here. I've dealt with people like you. You're here to learn more about the power of the Rakyat, right? Haha. Well...that's not going to happen. Because around here I have the fucking power and you are all my bitches."

"Fuck you." Charlie spat.

"Excuse me? Hermano you got something to say? You got something to say to me you little cocksucker?! HUH?! Shut the fuck up! I have the dick around here! Shut the fuck up or you die. Okay?"

Charlie remained silent after that. This Vaas was obviously not going to tolerate anyone's shit. Kendra took it all in, watching ever so carefully how Vaas talked and how he responded to people who defied him. He then glanced down at Kendra and suddenly crouched down beside her. "Kendra, I have it on good word that you're worth a lot of money to a lot of people. I like that. It really makes my day you know."

"Vaas, I need you. I'll take over from here." Someone interrupted as he came walking up. Vincent recognized him immediately and began grinding his back teeth to try and keep his cool. Kendra picked up on it immediately and turned her eyes to this new man. He was Caucasian and his accent was South African. Physically, he was very much out of place here, however, he held as much power as Vaas did if not more. Vaas obeyed this guy too. He pounded both cages with his palms as he stood up. "I'll see you again soon," he stated before walking off.

The South African ordered one of the grunts to open the cage, "I want him." He pointed at Vincent. The grunt open the cage and Vincent came out willing. The other man looked at Kendra, "And you. Out." Kendra was hesitant but she got out anyways.

"Where the fuck are you taking them?" Charlie protested, clamoring after them. The grunt punched him in the stomach and sent him back into the cage, before tying it closed again.

"Charlie!" Kendra called out turning to go to him, but another pirate grabbed her and dragged her away. "Get off of me!" She yelled, trying to wiggle away. He just continued to pull her forward. David and Isobella looked on, worry etched across their features. Charlie lay there in the dirt, clutching his abdomen, feeling like a failure for only a moment. He then sat up and scooted to the edge of his cage so he could talk in a lowered voice to the others.

Vincent and Kendra were taken to a rather large hut built in the center of the village. A few pirates milled about here enjoying some food and drink as the two prisoners entered. They all started chuckling because they knew what was coming. As Vincent and Kendra were being chained up to the ceiling restraints, gunfire met their ears. Kendra panicked, thinking it was her friends. She turned around, eyes searching for them. Instead she saw Vaas off in the far corner blowing holes into three bound and hooded figures. It couldn't be her friends, she would have seen them pass by on their way to the hut. She was relieved in that aspect but witnessing such violence nonetheless had really solidified the fact that they were in deep shit.

Vaas rested the AK-47 over his shoulder as he came to the hut, a satisfied grin plastered across his face. He certainly stood out amongst the others. He wore a red shit and military trousers like the rest. However, he donned a mohawk and a nasty looking scar on the left side of his scalp. He also had an intricate tattoo down his right arm. Unlike the other tattoos Kendra spotted on various pirates, this one resembled the tatus of the Rakyat. Interesting.

Vaas placed the semi-automatic aside and crossed his arms, observing the two chained up. He then glanced to his would be boss. Vincent stared him down, "Volker."

Volker grinned, "Vincent. Long time, no see man. Huh. What are you doing here? No, no, better question. What are you doing with _her_?"

"She's my boss," Vincent stated, not taking his eyes off the other South African.

Kendra turned to her companion, "Remember what I said earlier?" She wanted in on whatever hostility was between the two. Being on the outs with something like this wasn't exactly ideal. Not with their lives on the line.

"This is Darius Volker, the little brother of Hoyt Volker. We used to work together."

Kendra just stared at him, mouth agape. She couldn't believe what she just heard. "Are you fucking kidding me? Hoyt was the employer you left?! Isn't he some sort of drug lord?"

"Was," Darius corrected. "He's dead now. I'm here to take over his business. And, darling he did more than deal in drugs. He was the top dog of slave sells." He stepped closer to her and grabbed her face. "People would pay a lot of money for you."

Kendra spit in his face. Vaas hid a smirk. She had spirit. He liked it when they had spirit. That made it all the more fun when he broke them. Darius stepped back and wiped the spit away. He then backhanded her across the face, causing her lip to bleed. Vincent remained silent and gripped his chains, anger boiling within him. Darius turned to face him, "Vaas is going to take care of you both, you especially Vincent. Think of it as a lesson. Once you're in with us, you're in for life." He nodded to Vaas, "I want her unmarked." With that he left the hut. He had other affairs to attend to but he trusted that his little dog would make the pair suffer before selling them off to the highest bidder.

As Darius walked along to his helicopter he thought about how to make Vincent pay for leaving them. He all sorts of sadistic ideas swirling about his brain. The best option was to break the man and make him rejoin the ranks. Then make him watch as they tortured the two other men and sold off the two women. Revenge always tasted so sweet.

Vaas rubbed his together and moved behind the two to a table. Upon it was all kinds of torture devices. Vaas was proficient in each one. According to what Darius told him, Vincent needed to suffer and he was good, no, _great_ at making people bleed and scream. He grabbed a long, slender dagger, good for poking holes into people and moved to face Vincent once more. He stabbed the man in his abdomen and he grunted in response. He wasn't going to give in and grant this little psycho the satisfaction. It was Kendra's turned to grip her chains. She remained as stoic as possible. Vincent had taught her for years to not succumb to anger or show weakness in the face of an enemy.

Vaas stabbed him several more times, being sure to miss vital organs but Vincent refused to vocalize his pain. Vaas was annoyed but a part of him respected the man's strength. He glanced to Kendra. She was supposed to be unmarked but there were things he could do to her and that would make Vincent talk. Vaas moved to her and brushed aside her hair. "You leave her alone." Vincent demanded. _That was quick._ Vaas ignored him, though, and slipped his hand under her tank. The pirates there looked on lecherously and began chuckling.

"Hermano, your friend here, your boss...I bet she'd be a lot of fun."

"You get the fuck away from her!"

"Vincent!" Kendra shot back.

"Oooh, I think she wants to have some fun."

"You hurt her and I will rip out your throat."

"Oh no, I won't make her hurt. I'll make her beg. By the time I'm done, she'll wish she was dead." Vaas stated, walking around her back, hand still under her tank. He walked to the front again and laughed. Vincent lashed out his foot and kicked Vaas in the thigh. He wasn't too happy about that. The pirates got up ready to fire but Vaas stopped them. He grabbed Vincent by the collar of his shirt and punched him across the jaw.

Vincent only laughed, "I heard what happened here four months ago. How one little jack rabbit burned you to the ground. I'll make history repeat itself."

"You'll shut the fuck up!" Vaas yelled in his face. He then headbutted the man twice and then punched him in the gut where his stab wounds were at. Vincent began coughing up blood but Vaas wouldn't let up. He started using Vincent as a punching bag.

"Stop it, you're killing him!" Kendra begged. "STOP IT!"

"Shut up!" Vaas countered, continuing his assault.

"Fuck you, you psycho!"

Vaas stopped at that and was on her in a second. Bloodied hands grabbed both sides of her head. "What the fuck did you just say to me? Huh, you cunt?!"

"Did I stutter? I said fuck you!" Kendra repeated, fierce blue eyes meet green ones. The room was silent, save Vincent's groaning in pain. His knees had buckled and he was now hanging from his wrists. Kendra didn't stop there, though. She was defiant to the end after all. "Oh you don't like that do you? Someone who's not afraid of you. Because that's what you do, you rule through fear. You scream and you swear and your wave your gun around and somehow that's supposed to change my mind? No! I meant what I said. Fuck. You."

After another moment of silence Vaas started laughing again. He let go of Kendra and walked off before turning on his heels and pointing at her. "Oh I like you. I do! I'm going to have so much fun breaking you." He whistled to his pirates and gestured at Vincent's general direction. "Take that sack of shit back to his cage. Kendra and I, are going to film a little video."

The pirates did as they were told. They unchained Vincent and dragged him back to the cage. He was barely conscious. The others unchained Kendra, and tightly bound her hands behind her back with some rope. They then took her away to a different hut, further into the jungle away from the main complex. It was up a little hill and provided a good view of the rest of the camp. This was where Vaas stayed. Fittingly so. Vaas led them there and entered first. As he cleaned the blood off his hands and face, the pirates pulled out a chair and tied her to it. Vaas then got out a tripod and camera and set it up.

"Okay, hermana, today you are my actress. We're gonna make a video to send to your mama and papa." Vaas explained, turning on the camera and zooming it on her. He then pressed record. "Hello boys and girls, it is I again. Today we have Kendra West joining us. She has a very important message. She wants you to send some money to free her and her four friends. I want five million dollars but that's not for all of them. Five million for her friends, and another five for her. I know you'll send the money because she's really important." Vaas moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulder, being sure to keep his face out of the frame. He never let the people on the other end see what he looked like. "Isn't that right, Kendra?"

Kendra looked up at the lens of the camera, "Don't."

Vaas threw up his and sighed. "You just don't get it do you? I will fucking kill you if I don't get my money."

"So kill me now and save yourself the trouble."

Vaas walked over to the camera and stopped the recording. "You're not afraid of death then? You're not afraid of me?...And what about your friends?"

Kendra eyed him at that. Vaas smirked and then ordered his men to untie her. "Come here. I've got something to show you."

They walked back out to the main complex and towards an unused road that led into the jungle. As they got closer to the end, Kendra could make out bulbous looking things growing out of the ground. She soon realized these things weren't growing, they were buried there. One of the pirates pushed her forward and made her fall on her chest right in front of the bulbs. She came face to face with a head that had been decaying for a long while. The smell and the sight sent her back. She squirmed and pushed herself away releasing a disgusted yelp. Vaas chuckled and walked around to the other heads, squatting down next to them. "Do you like my garden?"

"You're crazy!"

"You call it crazy. I call it good fertilizer." He patted one of the fresher heads lovingly. It moved around to try and avoid his touch. Kendra's heart almost stopped. "See all these people weren't important...your friends are not important. You are. So this is what will happen to them if you do not comply. Understand?"

The brunette just slowly nodded. Vaas smiled and the pirates hoisted her up to her feet before pushing her back to the hut. Vaas was about to leave but he turned to the head that was still alive. "Hey do you need anything? Mangoes? Water?" It nodded. "Okay I'll have someone bring you something."

Back at the hut, Vaas turned on the camera again, "Let's try this one more time. I want five million dollars for Kendra's friends and five million more for Kendra. But here's the thing. I know it takes a little while to get that much, so here's what I'll do. I'll give you a week to send the first five for her friends. One week. I get the money, I let them go. I don't get the money, I start killing them one by one and the price goes up to save the others. After that, I'll send another video, then from there, you have another week to send the five million for Kendra here. That gives me two whole weeks with such a respectable explorer." Vaas stood behind her again and tucked her loose hair behind her ears. "If you people fuck me over, I'll kill them all. You know I will. Tell them Kendra."

Kendra nodded and glanced up at the lens again. She remained silent for a moment, not wanting to say anything but then she thought of her friends. She knew Vaas would keep his word about killing them. "Do it." She said sharply, regretting the words as they fell from her lips. "He will kill them. I've seen...I've seen what he does to people for fun and it's nothing good. Please, just do as he says. _Exactly_, as he says."

Vaas patted her head and walked back to the camera. "You have one week." He then turned off the camera and clapped at Kendra, "Oh you're such a good actress! Really, we're gonna do such great things together!" Kendra just looked down at the floor, refusing to make eye contact. It was all just a game to him. He was having a fucking ball at the expense of others. How in the hell could such people exist? She felt the pirates move her again, this time leading her back to her cage. They pushed her in and she stumbled down, not really caring if her got scraped up. She moved herself to the opposite end of the cage where Vincent was to make sure he was still alive.

"He passed out a few minutes after they brought him back. Are you okay?" Isobella asked.

"We'll be fine." Kendra stated, not really answering the question. She examined Vincent's wounds only to find that they had been bound.

"They gave me some gauze to wrap him up with." Charlie stated.

"They don't want him dying just yet. It's too early," Kendra replied, mostly to herself.

"And what do you mean by that?" David questioned, "Who was that man? Vincent knows him doesn't he?"

Kendra remained silent and sat back against the cage. "None of it matters. We'll be out of here soon."

* * *

Back at his hut, Vaas occupied the chair Kendra was tied to earlier. He had his head nestled in his hands trying to will the pain away. Ever since that Jason Brody kid came along, things had been pretty bad. His mental stability deteriorated even more. He was starting to lose perspective. Everywhere he looked, he saw the definition of insanity. People kept doing the exact same thing, thinking things would be different. Vaas sat up and looked down at his shaking hands. _Who are you Jason? What kind of man are you? _Vaas shook the memory from his head and shot right out of his chair. He walked over to a three drawer, metal cabinet and pulled open the middle one. He rummaged a bit and found his slender black box inside. He then moved over to the bunk and sat down. He opened the box to reveal a syringe, a vile, some rubber tubing, a spoon and a smaller vile filled with black pebbles.

He pulled the chair closer and used it as a makeshift table. He placed the spoon down and put one of the black pebbles on it. He then opened the other vile and used the attached dropper to place three drops on the spoon. Afterwards, he fished his lighter out and lit up the bottom of the spoon. The black pebble began to melt into the liquid, turning it into a murky black color. He placed the spoon down and used the syringe to soak up the contents. Then he tied the rubber tubing around his arm and held it tight between his teeth. He grabbed the syringe and stuck it in the protruding vein in his arm. The black liquid went in and intermingled with his blood. He put the needle aside and released his arm of the tubing before falling back against the covers of the bunk.

The room spun around and the walls melted off, memories of the past came flooding back. Flashes of the jungle ran through his mind, the chanting of the Rakyat and drums filled his ears. Citra's voice echoed around him, "You are strong. You are a warrior." Gunfire and screams replaced her. He had an AK in his hands and began mowing down everyone in his path. Hoyt Volker laughed, "Sorry. House rules." Television screens soon replaced the jungle. Women danced on their poles, the pirates sung and drank. A drug-addled Vaas danced around with a corpse before disappearing in a plume of smoke.

Everything went quiet, all he heard was his voice this time. Vaas could see himself standing tall and ominous. The harbinger of death and unhappy tidings. The prevailing evil of Rook Island. Nothing could knock him down. He stepped closer to his image and reached out. Flashes of his past sprout up again all around him like weeds.

_"C'mon -clicks- Pull the trigger. C'mon motherfucker. Pull the trigger! Let's go, shoot me! Shoot ME! End this fucking misery!"_

_"You are me...and I am you."_

_"Take me into your heart. Accept me as your savior! Nail me to the fucking cross and let me be REBORN!"_

Vaas woke up with a start. He looked around and saw that he was back in his hut, splayed across his bunk. His head pounded but quickly subsided. His thinking was a little clearer today. He rose up and swung his legs over the edge of the bunk. He spotted his drugs and decided to put it away back where it went. Afterwards he stepped out of his hut and into the morning sun. He had been dead to the world all night. He descended from his shanty and made his way over to the cages to check up on his newest acquisitions. All of them were still asleep except Kendra.

"Still alive, huh?" Kendra inquired in a sardonic tone.

Vaas smirked and kicked dirt at Charlie's face, "Good morning Charlie! Wakey, wakey. Today I am going to make a man out of you."

"Leave him alone," Kendra demanded as Charlie stirred from his sleep to wipe the dirt from his face.

"You, fuck off. I rule this kingdom, okay." Vaas stated as he opened up the cage. "C'mon Charlie, I don't have all fucking day." Charlie patted Kendra on the arm and did as he was told. Vaas grabbed him by the hair and dragged him out. He then had a good look at his face." Ooo, you're pretty. I know this guy in Yemen who'd pay top dollar for you. You better hope you're people pay first." He then turned Charlie around and kicked him in the ass to move him forward. He regarded one of his pirates and thumbed to the other prisoners, "Oy, get them some water."

With that Vaas was off into the jungle with Charlie and three pirates in tow. Kendra began to worry. Vaas was clearly unhinged. She began to question whether or not he ever had any intention of letting them go. He could easily get the ransom money and then turn around and sell them to the highest bidder as slaves. It's what she would do. This was all just a business after all. Kendra had never actually seen human trafficking up close before. It shook her to her core that such a thing was still possible. If you didn't turn a profit, you were killed or turned into a play toy until you outlived your usefulness. She shook Vincent, trying to will him awake. "Vincent, Vincent!"

He stirred a bit and slowly opened his eyes. He noticed first thing that it was daylight again. The bloodloss had incapacitated him for hours. He was glad to see Kendra was alright, though. The man moved a bit to sit up and noticed Charlie's absence. "Vaas took him," Kendra answered the unasked question. "He sent off a ransom for us but I have a bad feeling about it."

"He'll renege for sure. That's how these pirates work," Vincent replied, clutching his chest as he moved into a more comfortable position.

"You know what we're up against. Can we get out of here?"

"They're well supplied, and that will work in our favor. They have boats and helicopters, either one could be used for an escape."

"Good. Then we use one, tonight."

* * *

**A/N: **Sooo, I touched a little bit on _Jason's_ hallucinations. I'll go into more detail about that later. The game struck me as veeery Fight Club like and I wanna play on it and expand it a bit to try and explain some of the inconsistencies in the game. Hopefully I can do that without looking like a jackass.

**LadyEpic101:** Oh God please let there be more. This is the only Vaas fanfic out there that's not Jason/Vaas. PLEASE DON'T STOP.

- Baha, ikr? I do not approve of the Vaason. It's just sooo illogical.

**Twisted Novocaine: **Really liking this story so far and things are definitely getting interesting! :) Can't wait to read more.

- Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it!


	5. Chapter 4 - The Rules

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

**FCs:** Kendra (Claudia Black), Vincent (Arnold Vosloo), Charlie (Eric Balfour), David (Richard Madden), Isobella (Rachel Weisz), Darius (Leonardo DiCaprio), Citra (Zoe Saldana), Vaas (Michael Mando, duh)

**Warning: **There is a scene of attempted rape in this chapter. If that bothers you, I suggest you not read it or scroll past it.

* * *

**Chapter 4 - The Rules**

* * *

David and Isobella started to wake up some time later and also noticed Charlie's absence. "When he gets back, we'll make a break for some transportation." Kendra stated, ignoring their inquisitive looks.

"We were talking while you and Vincent were away," David started, moving to the edge of his cage. Kendra did the same. "The cover of night would be our best option. Then we flee into the jungle and head back west. Apparently there's some village out that way and the locals aren't pirates. I overheard one of those red shirts talking about them."

"Do you think they'll help us?" Kendra asked, being sure to keep her voice down.

"I think so, yes. Getting out of here should be easy, we've been in worse. The problem is with getting to that village alive." David pushed himself away when he saw two guards approach. They had taken their sweet time getting some water when Vaas ordered them to do so. One of the guards handed a canteen to David through the cage while the other opened up Kendra's cage. She accepted the water she was given and passed it to Vincent, knowing he would need it more. The guard spoke to her in Malay, gesturing for her to come to him.

"I don't understand you."

"Come. Here." He ordered in English. Kendra glanced at Vincent before moving towards the guard. The guard roughly grabbed her and forced her out of the cage. He then pushed her towards the guard who gripped her arms tightly, keeping them behind her back. Vincent sat up, pain shooting up through his muscles but he ignored it as he tried to get to the opening. The guard yelled at him in Malay and closed the gate. David and Isobella started then. Why were they taking her when Vaas wasn't around?

"Hey, what the hell are you doing? Come back here!" David demanded.

"Take your hands off her!" Isobella yelled.

The guards ignored them, yelling back at the prisoners to shut up. Kendra struggled against their grip, getting that nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like where this was going and rightly so. The two guards took her away to one of the smaller huts and pushed her inside. She was about to protest when one of them pushed her right into a table, knocking over its contents. The guard that hit her put his gun aside and forced her to remain in a bent position. Kendra was panicking again. She did everything in her power to try and get the man off her but he didn't budge that much. Her efforts were rewarded by him grabbing her head and slamming into the table's surface. She winced and cried out in pain as she felt blood oozing from her head. The other guard standing watch just laughed and goaded his buddy on.

The guard did so and used his knife to cut away Kendra's belt. She yelled out again in protest, but no one could hear her and the guards certainly didn't care. The man then turned her around and used his knife to cut open her tank. She lashed out and clawed his face. He cried out in pain, knife still in hand. Kendra used the opportunity to punch him in the face which sent him away from her. The other guard moved from the door and lunged at the woman. She moved out of his way and was captured by the man she had clawed. He wrapped his arms her, squeezing and picked her up off the floor. His companion moved to her and he was met with a pair of boots across his chest. He fell back to the floor. The clawed guard threw her down rather unceremoniously and then pinned her down.

* * *

Vaas came back all the while and approached the people in their cages. Vincent called out to him, "What did your men do with Kendra?"

"The fuck are you talking about hermano?" He answered looking inside his cage. Where was that woman? "Where did Kendra go?"

"Two of your men took her away a few minutes ago. To one of the huts back there," David replied.

Vaas stood there a moment, trying to remember when he told anyone to take Kendra away. No, he didn't. Some little cocksucker was disregarding the rules. "Carlos! You come with me now." He was clearly fuming as he spun on his heel and stalked towards the private huts. He checked a few for Kendra and the two guards but couldn't find them until he heard the brunette crying out. He and Carlos ran towards that hut and kicked the door in. Carlos grabbed one guard and pulled him away while Vaas got the other one off Kendra. He effortlessly threw the man against the metal walls. "You fucks! What do you think you're doing?!" Another guard had come in from outside to see what was going on. Vaas turned to him, fury in his eyes. "Take these two to the fucking stage!" Carlos and the other guard complied as quickly as possible if only to escape Vaas's wrath. They knew terrible things happened when he was angry.

Vaas then swiped a long overcoat off a rack and helped Kendra to her feet. He gently grabbed her chin and made her turn her head so he could look at the gash on her forehead. Vaas pursued his lips and then had a look at the rest of her. Her tank was ripped and so were her pants. Vaas put the coat on her and then dragged her outside by the arm towards the stage.

Carlos had put the two guards on their knees in front of everyone and ordered the others to come around. Vaas came up and kept Kendra at his side. She remained strong even though she had nearly been raped. She refused to show just how terrifying that experience was. "Witness this!" Vaas demanded as the other pirates pressed closer to the stage. "You see this?" He asked, pointing at Kendra's head wound. "You do not spoil the product! Carlos, who are these men?"

"Uh, they're new boss."

"Oh they're new? Is that a good excuse for them to not know the rules?"

Carlos shook his head.

"You men answer to me! I make the rules! And the rules are these: you can look, you can touch but you don't spoil. If something or someone is tagged for sale, you don't fucking put your hands or your dick where it doesn't belong. You didn't pay for it!" Vaas then pulled out his pistol and moved behind Kendra. "Now you get to choose. Who lives and who dies?" He said pointing to the men. Kendra shook her head. "Kendra, these men hurt you. They broke the rules. They don't know you, so it doesn't matter. Now I have to set an example. So come here." He put the gun in her hand and wrapped his fingers around hers. She profusely shook her head but Vaas wasn't having any of it. He shushed her and put his other arm around her waist. He made her aim the gun towards the clawed guard and shot him in the back of the head, then immediately at the other. They dropped dead on the stage and the other guards laughed.

Vaas grabbed the gun from Kendra who was rather stunned about what just happened. He threw his arms up in the air and hollered. "Whoo! Now you know the rules, right? Don't fuck up!" He laughed and then grabbed Kendra, dragging her back to his hut. "C'mon hermana. Can't have you walking around, looking like that."

Once they were at Vaas's hut, Kendra sat down in the chair, her mind still reeling from the earlier events. She felt like she was about to go crazy. She had never killed anyone. Then again, that was all Vaas back there. What the hell was that anyways? Sure he called her a product but in his own twisted way, he defended her against those men. She didn't want them dead though. They had probably deserved it but it wasn't up to her to decide. That's why she could never understand her brother becoming a soldier. How did anyone make those kinds of decisions?

Vaas found Kendra's bag and pulled out the spare clothes she had packed. "Here. Put these on." He said handing them to her. She took them and he went outside to give her some privacy. She stared after him, not really sure what to do. She then looked at her clothes in hand and then the tattered ones she wore. Getting changed would be best. When she was done, she called out to Vaas and he popped his head indoors, a cigarette hanging between his lips. "Okay and now for your head." He walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit. He grabbed another chair and parked it in front of Kendra's, kit in hand. He pulled her closer and opened the kit up. He picked up an alcohol wipe and steadied her head before applying it to her wound. She winced but allowed him to continue. She wanted to say something, to ask how he could act so normal about everything he's done. She wanted to kick herself. _He's a fucking sociopath you idiot!_

Once Vaas was done cleaning her gash, he popped a bandaid on it and smirked proudly at his work. "Fucking perfect." He closed the kit and tossed it onto the table. "Good as new." He sat up and brought her to her feet. He then directed her outside and took her back to her cage. When she arrived, she saw that Charlie had not returned.

"Where's Charlie?" Forgetting everything that had happened. In the end, she still feared for the well being of others over herself.

"Oh you know, having fun in the sun. Don't worry, he's alive. I can't have you altogether though can I?" He answered opening up her cage. She got in, hating the fact that he had split them up already. He was on to them pretty quickly. He was a hell of a lot smarter than he let on. He waved at her with that same cocky smile from earlier before walking off to attend to something. Kendra let her head fall back against the cage rather helplessly. So much for their getaway tonight.

"What happened?" Isobella questioned, passing her hand through the cage bars to grab Kendra's.

Kendra just took the other woman's hand and shook her head. "I uh...He killed those two guards."

* * *

As the day wore on, new people were brought in for Vaas to inspect. A handful of men and women with sacks over their heads and their hands tied behind their backs were marched up to the stage. They stood there scared and trembling as their hoods were removed. Some were foreigners from Volker's little travel agent scheme, others were natives snatched from the surrounding villages. Vaas had his pistol tucked in the front of his pants. He grabbed one man and made him open his mouth. "Yes." He was taken away to be sold. Vaas walked down the line to the next man, "No." He was taken away to be shot. He came across a woman next. She was already in tears and shaking her head at Vaas, pleading for him to let her go. "Shhh, shhh. It'll be fine." He pushed her hair back and wiped away her tears so he could have a good look at her face. "Yes."

This process continued on for a good five or so minutes. There were four no's and five yes's. They were all hooded again and went in their separate directions. The five went to a truck that shipped them off to an airstrip. The other four were lined up against a wall and put out of their misery. Kendra couldn't sleep again. The first night, she couldn't sleep because of the noise the pirates or the other prisoners made. Tonight she wouldn't be able to sleep because of Charlie being God knew where and the fact that she watched two men die. She really hoped that the money would come through and Vaas would actually be true to his word. She didn't want to be here anymore.

One of the guards had brought them some food but no one really ate. How could they? David and Isobella both fell into a fitful slumber as the night wore on. Vincent fell asleep flawlessly, then again that could have been his wounded body lulling him into unconsciousness. His head rested in Kendra's lap and she watched over him and the other two protectively. There wasn't much she could do to protect them while trapped in a cage but she could sure as hell make sure they slept well.

A pirate passed by her cage and opened the one behind her. He grabbed a girl out of there who silently let him take her. Kendra turned a bit to watch. She hadn't really paid any attention to the other hostages. They were in same predicament as her and her people. When she looked out, she could see quite a few cages littering the area. Most of them were currently empty. Kendra could only guess that by the end of the week, they would be full again. She knew it would eat at her if she didn't try to help these other captives.

The brunette looked on as the girl was taken off to Vaas's hut. Kendra knew what was going to happen to her, if it hadn't already happened. The girl had been so acquiescent. No crying, no pleading. The thought of it made the elder woman harshly chew on her bottom lip. Tomorrow she would try and find Charlie. The money be damned, they were going to get out of here on their own. She didn't trust Vaas one bit.

Up in Vaas's hut, he was doing exactly what Kendra had figured. He was straddling that girl and using her for his personal pleasure. She wasn't resisting him either. Maybe in the beginning she did, but not now. Now, she was starting to enjoy herself. She let Vaas use her and then treat her like a dog. Whether she was developing Stockholm or she had just lost any hope in a future beyond the pirate camp was anyone's guess. She had been there almost a week now and her time was coming to an end. Tomorrow, she would be shipped off to South Africa to one of Volker's personal friends. Many of his 'concubines' were slave girls from all over the world. He wanted one from every country. He was collecting them like trophies or something. Shit like this happened all the time. Either the common, everyday man and woman didn't about it or they didn't care. As long as it wasn't happening to them or right in front of them, why would it matter.

Kendra finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning but it didn't last long. The next two days went on agonizingly slowly. Vaas hadn't paid much attention to the small group. He made sure they were fed and watered though. Otherwise, he didn't particularly care. He had other things to do first but he had his plans for them in their last days on his island. On the sixth morning, 'Welcome to the Jungle' was on full blast, playing through speakers that she hadn't even noticed before. Vaas was up and dancing around the camp, singing the Guns N' Roses lyrics completely out of tune. The brunette groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was going to be a long day.

He danced right up to Kendra's cage and threw what she thought was a rock at her. She grabbed it off her chest and realized it was a tooth. "What the fuck?" She questioned staring up at Vaas. He leaned over the cage with a grin. "That's one of Charlie's wisdom teeth. I'd like to think I did him a favor. They cause all kinds of problems. He has cavities, though. That's not good Kendra. I mean he works for you. Don't you have dental benefits?"

The brunette just stared at him agape. She realized she had been doing that often in response to Vaas's antics, but honestly, what else could she do? She could yell and curse but it wouldn't change anything. She was still in a cage and he was still a psychopathic dictator. "I'll get you guys some food." He stated before running off to one of the huts.

Kendra released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. David and Isobella stared at her and then at the tooth. She just shook her head, "He is completely mental...No, no. We're getting out of here. Today!"

"What about Charlie and the ransom?" Vincent groaned, finally waking up. His body was doing much better today but he still felt like shit. Kendra only hoped he wasn't getting sick. That was the last thing they needed. Vaas could consider the man not much worth the time or effort and just let him rot.

"He'll take the ransom money and sell us anyways. As for Charlie, we'll find him. I'll see if I can't convince Vaas to let me see him. And I'll get you some antibiotics." She said.

"**What. The. Fuck?!**" Came Vaas's voice from across the camp. Something wasn't right.

* * *

**A/N:** I just mentioned this in my profile, but if anyone is interested in the blog version of Evil Prevails, you will find it here -

**Megan: **This is so awesome! You clearly have a knack for writing :)  
You have done such a great job of keeping Vaas in character and I love how spirited Kendra is, she is really interesting.  
I can't wait for the next update, great work!

- Asdfghjk;';a]'. Thank youuu. I had actually stopped writing fanfics to do RP but when Far Cry 3 came out Vaas just so inspired me to write again. I'm glad people think I'm capturing his essence. It's kind of hard to do that when he's not your baby. Lol.


	6. Chapter 5 - The Ransom

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 5 - The Ransom **

* * *

**-Department of Homeland Security, five days ago-**

One of the departments inside Homeland Security was the central hub of an anti-human trafficking task force. They were known as the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It was their job to identify and recover victims before they switched hands and were lost out in the world somewhere. Phones rang off the hook, several monitors held the pictures of new victims and possible suspects. "Sir we have a new video coming in," A female technician announced.

"Put it on the main monitor," a man replied. His name was Strauss and he was the head of the Southeastern Pacific division.

The video crackled to life and the room fell silent. "Hello boys and girls, it is I again. Today we have Kendra West joining us. She has a very important message. She wants you to send some money to free her and her four friends-" Strauss snapped his fingers and pointed to the technician. She immediately looked up Kendra West in their database to find some information on her. It only took the woman less than a minute to find what she needed. She put the dossier up on the main monitor next to the video. "-five million for Kendra here. That gives me two whole weeks with such a respectable explorer. If you people fuck me over, I'll kill them all. You know I will. Tell them Kendra."

Kendra responded and Strauss just shook her head. "Most of these we get, the woman's in tears. This one is strong. Who is she?" He said, looking over at her information. "Kendra West, daughter of Michael and Cassandra West. Dad is Zimbabwean and owns a shipping company and the mother comes from an aristocratic French family. In other words they're loaded. She had a deceased brother, Oliver. He served in the Iraq War for four years and was killed in action. Kendra is a world renowned explorer and philanthropist. What the hell is she doing as a hostage?"

The technician took it upon herself to call Kendra's organization to try and retrace her steps, "I just got off the phone with one of her employees. Her and four others of her team went out to the Pacific to try and find some island. They didn't say where."

"There's gotta be a trail somewhere."

"Do we call her parents and let them know?"

"Yes. This man has kidnapped and sold over two hundred people that we know of and none of them has ever showed up. Let's not make West and her people next."

* * *

**-West Residence, 3 hours later-**

"What do you mean my daughter is being held hostage?" Michael asked. Strauss had come to visit them personally at their posh estate in France, hoping that he finally had a break in the case. With Kendra being an explorer, _someone_ had to know where she was going.

Strauss put a disk of the ransom video into the television set and played it for the parents. Cassandra, a usually stoic woman, was on the verge of tears seeing her daughter up there. She was the only child they had left after Oliver's untimely demise. "We send the money." She blurted out at the end of the video using a tissue to wipe away stray tear that dared to spill over.

"Ma'am we can't negotiate-"

"It's not for you to negotiate is it? This our daughter, not yours. We have the money and we will do whatever it takes to get her back." Michael interrupted.

"Sir, please. Granting this man's wishes will not get your daughter back. He'll just turn around and sell her and then we lose her. We need to find this guy and stop him. Four months ago seven kids from California went to Thailand for vacation and they were never seen again. We assume they were caught by this same pirate and sold into slavery. It will happen to Kendra and her friends. Now if you work with us, if you have any idea where she might have gone, it's very possible we can find her and the others and bring them home. Not only that, but also bring this animal down."

Michael and Cassandra remained quiet for a moment, soaking up the American's words, before looking at each other with a knowing silence. "Thank you, Mr. Strauss. We will...help you. We will get in contact with Kendra's people and they will tell us where she was going. We are her emergency contact after all. When we find out, we will tell you."

Strauss looked between the two and nodded. He then reached into his jacket pocket and handed Mr. West a business card. "You can contact me directly using that number. We have five days left. Let's not waste it."

Michael accepted the card and then walked the agent to the door. He thanked him again, then Strauss left and went over to his car where his apprentice was waiting. "They're not gonna play ball with us are they?" Strauss moved to the other side of the car and got in, "Of course not. They never do. Let's keep an eye on them."

Michael watched them leave before closing the door. He walked back into the living room to join his wife who was still tearing up over her daughter's predicament. "I cannot lose another child Michael." Her adoring husband knelt down beside her and held her hands in his, "You won't. We'll get her back. We'll the send money okay. I'll get in touch with some people who work down there."

* * *

"**What. The. Fuck?!**" Came Vaas's voice from across the camp. Something wasn't right.

Kendra helped Vincent up and move out of the way as Vincent came barreling towards their cages. "I want them out. Now!" The guards were quickly to comply. They open the gates and dragged everyone out. Vaas went off to his hut to grab something as the group was prodded towards the stage. Nothing good ever came from the stage. Kendra learned that quickly. They were bound with their hands behind them and forced to get down on their knees. Vaas returned a moment later with a camera in hand, which he passed on to Carlos. He then stooped down in front of Kendra and roughly grabbed a handful of hair. "Are your people trying to fuck with me or are they just stupid?"

"What?" Kendra asked, not understanding Vaas's new found anger. He was so volatile, he could kill someone over a stubbed toe.

"Your people sent the whole ten million. That wasn't the deal! So now they're going to make me go back on my word. I said the first five million in one week, did I not?" Kendra nodded. "Okay and I said I would let your friends go. Then I said the next week they have to send the other five million for you. So you stay for two weeks. Yes?" Kendra nodded again. "Then tell me why I have ten million in one week? That means I can't keep you for two weeks."

"I...I don't know. Perhaps my people are eager to have me back."

"Regardless, they didn't fucking listen did they?" He rose up and went over to Carlos, "Bring me the pretty boy." He took the camera from him and began to record the group while Carlos ran off to the beach to retrieve Charlie. "Look here, I gave some pretty explicit directions did I not? You people just don't listen? Did you forget who I am or something?" He turned the camera around so the viewer on the other end could see him. "There is no vacation here. Only me." He faced the lens back at the kneeling group. "Now one of them will have to die. It's very important I set an example around here."

"Vaas, no!" Kendra pleaded.

Carlos came speeding into the camp with his jeep a moment later. Charlie was laying in the back, hooded and bound. He was then pulled out and marched to a wall adjacent to the stage. Blood splatter from previous victims and bullet holes from their cause of death covered it from top to bottom.

"Vaas, please! We can work this out. You don't have to do this!" Kendra pleaded again, trying to get to her feet. She was only sent back down to her knees by one of the pirates.

"That is a subjective, philosophical point of fucking view. This is reality." Vaas ignored her and her companions cries for him to stop as he handed the camera back to Carlos. He then pulled out his pistol and fire three shots into Charlie's body. Kendra screamed out, showing some true emotion for once as Charlie fell dead to the ground. She leaned forward in dismay and rested her head against the surface of the stage, letting tears streak down her face. Isobella was crying as well. David just sat there, staring at his best friend's corpse. He couldn't believe what he just saw and was hoping with all his heart this was just some terrible nightmare. Vincent's face remained stoic but his eyes held what he really felt; devastated.

Some pirates dragged Charlie's body away as Vaas turned to the camera. "Consider that a lesson." Carlos cut the camera off and went to process it. Then Vaas turned to the four on the stage. "What?! Why are you crying?! Your life choices have led you here. Now you have to suffer the consequences."

Kendra rose up and stared him in the eyes, pain and anger etched across her features. She opened her mouth to say something but Vaas cut her off. "What? You wanna say something?"

"Why?" She breathed out, barely audible.

Vaas stood there staring back at her. He expected her to yell at him, call him a heartless bastard, lash out at him, something, but all she did was ask a question. It stopped his brain for a few seconds. He walked up and pulled her from the stage. "Carlos put them away." He ordered over his shoulder as he pulled Kendra towards his hut. He roughly pushed her inside and she complied. She turned to face him, "Please, no more. Don't...don't kill them. You have your money, just let them go. I'll stay okay. You and I, we made a deal and my people fucked up I'm sorry, but don't take it out on my team. You want to be angry at someone, be angry at me!" She got down her knees and started to beg now. This was a 180 turn of events if Vaas ever saw one. here was this woman who was spirited and defiant at the very beginning, willing to sacrifice herself for her friends and now here she was some days later, not as defiant but still willing to be so selfless.

He remained silent and unsheathed a ka-bar from his belt. He moved behind her and dragged the blade from her neck and down along her spine. To Kendra's surprise, Vaas cut her ropes. He knelt down and spoke in her ear. "You have an hour to say goodbye to your friends."

* * *

Kendra couldn't quite believe what had happened. Here she was, standing at the edge of a harbour, bidding the remaining trio good luck. The pirates had put their stuff on a dinghy and were prepared to take them out to where a ship was waiting. Two of them stood guard near the boat, brandishing their AK-47s, red masks covering their faces. Kendra hugged Isobella goodbye, wishing her leader was coming with them. After what had happened with Charlie, she didn't understand why they were being let go. She was naive like that. David and Vincent knew very well that this was a ploy. David gave her a brief hug and a knowing look. "You look after Isobella." Kendra said.

He smirked and nodded, "Ay, I will. You look after yourself. Vaas is...well, I know you're a pacifist and everythin' but if you get a chance, kill that motherfucker." He then kissed the back of her hand before moving to help Isobella into the dinghy.

Vincent faced her now, a grimace on his face. He didn't like this one bit. He knew those two pirates were taking the trio to their death but that's not what made him wary. It was the fact that Kendra was remaining behind with Vaas. He didn't want to think about what could happen to her. He wanted to protest. "Vincent," the woman spoke softly, tearing him from his wild thoughts, "I'll be fine. No matter what happens, no matter how long it takes, you do not come back here, do you understand?"

"Ken-"

"No! Vincent, not under any circumstance. I don't care if it takes a week or a month or a year. When I'm ready, I'll contact you."

"What is it that you hope to accomplish?"

"I don't know yet. But there's a lot of other people here and I can't just sit by and let them be sold off. I have to do something. That's going to require me taking down this little organization." Kendra explained, folding her arms across her chest.

"You cannot possibly hope to do this on your own. I know we all want to believe in heroes but one person can't change something like this."

"Someone did...a long time ago. He died a hero and changed a lot of lives in the process."

Vincent remained silent for a moment, his face crest-fallen at the mention of Oliver. "I don't want you to die here."

Kendra cracked a small smile. "I won't. I need you to trust me."

Trust. That had been an issue between the two of them some days ago, even then, their friendship was solid. Vincent released a sigh and nodded, "Of course I trust you."

"And I trust you and David can handle those two, yes? If there really is a boat out there-"

"Don't worry. I may be sore but I'm not incapacitated. We'll be fine." Vincent pulled her into a bear hug. She hid her growing fear as she hugged him back. It almost felt like this would be the last time she would ever see them. The brunette allowed herself to be left alone on an island full of madmen and Vaas was the god. Hopefully she could find that village David was talking about and perhaps solicit their help. Vincent reluctantly let go of her and then turned to get in the boat as well. The two pirates clamored in, one guarding the front, while the other operated the motor. Kendra waved her final goodbye, as the dinghy started off away from the harbour and down the river. Blue eyes looked on and wished the trio luck once more. They would need it where they were going. She turned back and glanced at Vaas who had been watching the whole time. She would need some luck too and perhaps a few miracles if she was going to make it out of this alive.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, I have no idea where I was going with this _

**LadyEpic101:** You beautiful person. Two chapters in one day? And a cliffhanger?! Epic.  
I love the way you write Vaas. You really grasp his insanity.

- Oh stop it you. :'D I try, though. Oh God do I try. XD


	7. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Kay I've been muddling through the ideas in my head so I can write the next few chapters and then I realized a lot of it might get confusing pretty soon here. So imma explain it a bit and what I took away from the game.

**GAME SPOILERS AHEAD**

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Essentially I got some Fight Club vibes from the story cause I ain't believin' white boy just magically turned into a bona fide warrior and whooped everyone's ass. Just no. Clearly I also don't believe Vaas ever died. Number one, for some reason Jason kept randomly tripping balls which was never explained. Like, he never fell face first into a bowl of Earnhardt's special pills. Number two, at the end where Vaas is 'stabbed', there's a loooot of what I think are clues leading to the conclusion that Vaas and Jason are the same person. So if that's true, it would explain the hallucinations. Vaas just maybe cracked and had a "I'm Jack's seething revenge" moment. I mean, I can understand why after reading ubisoft's take on Vaas and why he is the way he is. I've explained in an earlier A/N that Vaas was destined and groomed to lead the Rakyat but he shirked his responsibilities and got plucked by Volker who promised him drugs and power. So maybe Vaas just had a moment of clarity and kinda realized that he essentially got taken advantage of by Volker. And so he got pissed and started reeking havoc but his manic side saw all the devastation being brought on by Jason and not himself. Then of course Jason, who's probably fucking around doing nothing, is taking the credit. *shrug* I dunno, just a theory in the end.

Also, Jason's dumbass is dead. So imma say Citra pulled that black widow shit on Jason and killed him...cause I never liked him anyways. I'd like to think that Citra drugged his ass up during that warrior ceremony or whatever to use him as a scapegoat when she knew full well it was Vaas doing everything. Because as we know she's a few skittles short of a rainbow herself and wants to get knocked up by Vaas to breed the perfect warrior and of course Vaas wants her ass dead. Dysfunctional family fighting over the throne, essentially. I won't say much more beyond that cause I'll explain it more fully in the chapters to come but I wanted to make sure you guys had a basic idea of what I'm about to go for.

...I just hope that made sense.


	8. Chapter 6 - Welcome to the Jungle

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Welcome to the Jungle **

* * *

_Welcome to the jungle we've got fun and games_  
_We got everything you want honey, we know the names_  
_We are the people that can find whatever you may need_  
_If you got the money honey we got your disease_

Rook Island was a dangerous place, filled with madmen and wild animals. Vaas Montenegro was the king of this sadistic empire. He killed people purely for entertainment. No one was safe around him. Not his men, not his friends, and certainly not his enemies. Having been trained by his people from a very young age, Vaas was a ferocious hand-to-hand combatant. He was also a crack shot. He proudly bore the battle scars of his time in the jungle, especially the one along his skull, courtesy of his sister. Even if he was a druggie warlord and slave trader, at his very core he was still a warrior, the path of the Rakyat etched into his mind. He shunned it years ago, though, when he was a teenager. His people had expected so much of him. Vaas do this, Vaas do that, help us Vaas, it's all up to you. He hated hearing that day in and day out. He just wanted to be free. So he finally said no and ran away.

He explored the jungles and ruins of the islands for days before he ran into Hoyt Volker. Volker was no fan of the natives. He considered them vile savages worthy of death. When he set eyes on Vaas, however, he saw amazing potential. He could see it in the boy's eyes, the spirit of an animal, a tiger. He knew then that the boy would be his greatest asset. He promised the little Rakyat all sorts of things: freedom, wealth, power, anything he could ever want or need and he could do whatever he wanted, so long as he worked for Volker. To insure that Vaas stayed, Volker introduced him to drugs, to a leash. It wasn't freedom at all. It was just another form of the oppression Vaas was trying to escape. He had no idea back then.

One day, though, something in the back of his mind akin to a revelation snapped. At the end of it, the pirate camp was in flames, a lot of his men were dead, Volker was dead, Buck was dead, hell even Dr. Earnhardt had died but that laid with the Rakyat and their poor decisions. There on the precipice, though, between the nightmares and the salvation was Citra, still alive and kicking. He had hoped in all the chaos that consumed the islands, she would have at least died with everyone else. He wasn't that lucky. He hated that she had taken his rightful place, even if he did abandon it. While he didn't have much to do with the Rakyat, it was in his opinion that Citra was doing a piss poor job at leading them. She had attempted to kill him once, after he joined with Volker. She felt like he had betrayed them all and would be better off dead. Vaas honestly hadn't seen the knife coming but he moved out of the way fast enough so his sister wouldn't plunge it into his brain. He knew then and there where they stood.

Despite her trying to kill him, she still believed him to be a formidable warrior and a part of her had always hoped he would return. Vaas wanted nothing to do with her. He swore that one day he would put a bullet between her eyes. With her dead, the Rakyat would hopefully fade into a memory and disappear.

Even after everything, life went on. The pirates reclaimed their presence, the Rakyat receded back into the jungles, and the surviving villages rebuilt their homes. It was almost as if nothing ever happened. Out here, people were expendable. They could be replaced. Volker was a prime example. Even with all his power and wealth, it couldn't protect him. He quickly became a legend and an example as the little brother no one knew he had stepped in and kept the train moving. Life went on.

* * *

Some days after Charlie's death when Vincent, Isobella and David were set free, Kendra found herself standing inside the doorway of the main hut. She had no restraints on her, but there were enough pirates around to keep her from leaving. Nevertheless, they all had their attention on something else, the same something she was watching. Vaas was out in the front, in the big dirt opening beyond the stage. His men had formed a wide circle around him and another man. This man had tatus from head to toe, a Rakyat warrior. Kendra couldn't help but be intrigued. He and Vaas were getting prepared for a fight. Apparently the warrior had been sent by some woman named Citra to come and challenge Vaas for supremacy. Vaas may not have been a Rakyat anymore but he was still their greatest.

Vaas, of course, thought it was a joke. What the hell kind of game was Citra playing at? He expertly twirled a wicked looking machete as the warrior did some ritual posturing. Vaas just chuckled, "C'mon motherfucker. You think my sister's gonna make a warrior out of you? Huh? Think again hermano."

The warrior readied his own dagger of Rakyat design and gestured for Vaas to come at him. The pirates whooped and hollered, supporting their leader. The two walked a circle before the warrior decided to swing out, aiming for Vaas's neck. Vaas quickly dodged the blade and yet another swing and in one swift movement grabbed the warrior's hand that held the dagger, slammed down on the warrior's foot, and then headbutted him in the nose. The warrior staggered back, clutching his now bloodied and broken nose. He angrily eyed a grinning Vaas whilst resetting his nose without so much a grimace of pain. His opponent taunted him, waving and whistling at him, "C'mere doggy." The warrior lunged and swung again, this time aiming for the stomach. Vaas pulled back as the blade cut through his shirt and grazed across his skin, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Vaas blocked another incoming blow with his machete. The warrior used the opportunity to grab Vaas's wrist and hold him there before kneeing him in the stomach. Vaas barely moved, struggling against the warrior for the upper hand, the man kneed him again but still Vaas didn't let it sway him. "She feeds you all lies you know...and then she feeds you to me." Vaas suddenly pulled the warrior towards him and off to the side so the man tumbled away.

The warrior rolled and got back up on his feet. He decided to get fancy this time. He moved the dagger to the left hand, and then used his right to punch Vaas and used his left again to swing at the neck. Vaas allowed the warrior his blow but twisted to miss the knife once more. As Vaas turned around to face the warrior again, the other had already began making his next move. He jumped in the air to land a downward assault, but Vaas put up his arm to stop him while at the same time running the machete through the Rakyat's heart. "Told you." He said. The warrior looked down rather surprised as the blood oozed out of him and trickled down Vaas's hand. He could smell the coppery stench of it as the machete was removed. He looked up in time enough to see the machete blade come towards him but it was too late. He dropped to his knees and his head slid right off.

Kendra covered her mouth and looked away upon the sudden beheading. The pirates were all loving it. Vaas looked down and noticed a knife sticking out of the front of his abdomen. "Sneaky fucker." He said, pulling it out. That would have killed him were it an inch lower, effectively hitting the iliac artery. Vaas tossed the knife aside before picking up the decapitated head and punting it into the crowd of pirates, "Send that back to my sister!"

Kendra didn't know why that just bothered her the way it did. She had seen blood and mutilated bodies in movies and in real life. Most of the time it didn't bother her. It was like a scab over her conscience. While she didn't participate in violence, she had inevitably been surrounded by it. It came with the job description. Here, though, here she could witness it first hand and a lot of it seemed senseless in her eyes. These men had grown a different kind of scab over their conscience. It was fascinating and disturbing at the same time. The brunette hadn't even noticed Vaas was hovering near her until he grabbed her chin, blood smearing across it, and forced her to look at the headless body. "Don't ignore it, don't close your eyes and look away. This is real. This is how we live our lives here. People from your country try to sugar coat and bullshit the truth. They don't want to know that people like me exist."

The brunette looked on as the pirates picked up the body to dispose of it. Another had grabbed the head and put it in a sack. She wiped the blood on her chin away and examined it on the back of her hand. She didn't question what she just saw. In fact, she just chalked it up as the rules of the jungle. Even in a place like this, there had to be some semblance of order and apparently Vaas was the balancing point. There needed to be a new set of rules, rules that pertained to her well being. She wasn't going to stoop to their level and play the kill or be killed game. Kendra swallowed whatever disdain she had, whatever questions she had, any judgments she had passed and decided to look at this from another perspective. Blue eyes took a gander at Vaas's physical state. "You're hurt."

Vaas snorted and shrugged it off, "It'll heal." He gripped her upper arm with his bloody hand and led her back to his hut. He needed to figure out a way to keep her. There was no doubt in his mind when Darius came back around, he would question why Kendra was still in the camp. It had been so long since Vaas had a pet. Perhaps Darius would make an exception. She could be of some other use. She was an explorer after all, trying to unlock the well guarded secrets of the Rakyat. Maybe she could help him destroy his sister once and for all. Then that would be one less thing he had to deal with on this island.

* * *

The hut had become an all too familiar place for Kendra. She never felt at ease in here. She'd much rather stay in the cage. She had a pretty good grasp on what kind of man Vaas was and she didn't want to be left alone in a room with that. The brunette had a better look around. It was a spacious hut made up of a wide open room. A table on the far end, right underneath a window, held many weapons including semi-automatics, pistols, grenades and an assortment of knives. It was out in the open and so easily accessible but of course if she dare try to grab one, it'd be instant death for her. She wasn't exactly stupid. Running away from here now wasn't a part of her plan just yet anyways. If all went well, her plan would have a domino effect and ultimately end this tyrannical reign for good.

Off in the corner adjacent to the table was a three tier filing cabinet. On the other side of the table, sitting against the adjacent wall was a large steamer trunk of sorts. She imagined Vaas kept his clothes in there. Next to that was another table, smaller than the one with the weapons. Papers and maps were scattered across it as well as IDs and a few personal items belonging to some unfortunate victims of the slave trade. In a crate underneath the table was a stack of books. Kendra furrowed her eyebrows and stepped closer, not really paying attention to anything Vaas was doing. She pulled out the crate and was a little surprised at some of the titles; The Divine Comedy, The Odyssey, A History of Roman Art, The Art of War, the list went on. There was no way Vaas read these was there? She looked in his direction and noticed that he was now shirtless and attempting to clean his wounds.

"These books...are they yours?"

"No, of course not. They're from some of my guests." He answered tossing away a bloody clump of gauze. In reality he did read those books. He liked to rummage through the luggage left behind and search for new material. He was well read thanks to his upbringing. He actually enjoyed a good book when he had time for it. It was how he kept himself up to date on the world outside of Rook Island. Knowledge was power. That was something Volker taught him and it served him well even now. Knowing more than his men or his captives truly gave him a sense of supremacy.

Kendra moved away from the desk and observed the rest of the room. On the opposite end was Vaas's bunk and another steamer trunk was underneath it. Beside this was a closed door that led into another room. The brunette stepped closer and watched as Vaas wrapped up the elongated cut on his upper torso. On impulse, she grabbed some gauze and alcohol and began treating his stab wound. Vaas was a little stunned by that but only for a second. He allowed her to do whatever as he finished pinning the wrapping in place. "I'll need to sew this," She stated, looking up at him.

He grinned and shook his head, "You think I'm gonna let you poke me with a needle?"

"Yes. You can't do this yourself."

"I could. Wouldn't be the first time."

The brunette looked annoyed, "Are you going to let me help or not?"

"Help? Is that what you're trying to do?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"...Because you're bleeding and you could get an infection."

"That'd be good for you right. I bleed out or I get sick. So why should you care?"

"I don't but why else would you bring me up here?"

Vaas remained silent for a moment before grinning from ear to ear and sticking out his tongue. "Ah. I knew you were clever." He reached into the first aid kit and gave Kendra the small sewing box inside. "I could have brought you up here to rape you, though."

Kendra accepted the box as she discarded the gauze, "Yes you could have."

"You don't think so?"

"No," She stated as she began threading one of the needles. She sanitized it with some alcohol and then pinched the skin that was starting to pucker. Vaas was about to say something else but he was cut off by Kendra running the needle through his side. Her heart was racing, that was for sure. Vaas terrified her in more ways than one and she tried her hardest not to let that show. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She wasn't afraid of death nor man but she was afraid of what man could do before she died. "You didn't pay for me."

"What?"

"You were about to ask why I thought you weren't going to rape me...it's the same reason why you shot those men. You didn't pay for me. I'm still up for sale." She continued sewing his wound shut as carefully as possible. If she poked him too hard or for too long, he could get rather testy about it and she didn't want any of that. She froze momentarily when she felt Vaas's hand on her head, patting her demeaningly. Kendra must have been right because clearly he was amused. She scowled at that but her hair hid it. Once she was done sewing him up, she swabbed the area with alcohol one more time before wrapping it up. As she moved the bandage around his waist, she could make out faint scars along his back and chest. He had been getting injured for years.

Once she was done pinning the bandage, Vaas abruptly seized her, hand on her chin and forcing her to look him in the eyes, "I could pay for you, you know. After that, it's open season." He smirked and went about rubbing his nose along her neck up to her ear, taking in her scent. "Should be fun."

He released her chin and then gestured for her to follow him as he went to the closed door she spotted earlier. She did so as he removed the pin that kept it locked. The woman entered it and saw that it was a very small room with one bunk and a table with a large bowl of water on top. On the bunk was her knapsack. She turned to face Vaas with a questioning look. He had his arms crossed against his chest as he leaned against the wall. "It's better than the cage I think."

"You want me to stay in here?"

"Of course! My pet needs a room of her own. Now you make yourself comfortable and I'll go get you some food. I need you well rested and ready for tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

Vaas didn't answer, he simply smiled and exited the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Her situation began to look bleak again. She plopped down on the bunk and hung her head in her hands. "What are you gonna do Kendra?" She asked herself, rubbing her temples. This was way worse than Nepal.

* * *

**A/N:** Kay so detailing rooms and fight scenes has never been my cup of tea. Hopefully that wasn't shitty. D: Also how perfect is Welcome to the Jungle for Vaas? Top theme song right there.

**RawrXily:** It was an option if Jason died or not. If you chose to kill your friends and stay with Citra you got sex but she also killed you. If you chose to go with your friends you got to live but Citra died because Dennis tried to kill you for rejecting her. But yeah what your proposing is cool (so hope it is what actually happened because I adore Vaas) the story's cool so keep rolling with your bad self and I'll stick around to see what happens to our lovely Vaas.

- Yeah, for me and for the sake of this fanfic, Jason got the bad ending. It's an easy way to do away with him but I may or may not explore him a bit in connection to Vaas later on. Have not decided. Ironically the Far Cry wiki changed Vass's status from dead to wound in action. Had a chuckle at that. But he is alive and kicking in this because he is awesome~

**skittlespit:** Best Far Cry 3 fanfic yet! I am so glad it's not another Vaas/Jason. I have to agree with everyone else. You really keep Vaas in character! Which I love you immensely for :D

- Awh, thanks love! I'd like to thank Michael's amazing performance for that.

**zoeythara: **this is really good ! i really like it please continue :)

- Thank you and will do!

**Guest: **Three updates in one day?!(At least where I live anyways. xD) That was a very pleasant surprise to come home and see in my inbox. You are just amazing and you've done a marvelous job at keeping Vaas in character. Can't wait too see how Kendra will handle the island and all of its dangerous creatures. :)

- Paha, yyyeah. I had a lot of ideas I needed to get out and out they certainly came. Keeping Vaas in character is my most important priority.

** LadyEpic101:** Holy fuck, my friend. Three chapters? THREE WELL WRITTEN CHAPTERS!? But seriously, I really liked seeing this side of Kendra. Have a cup of cocoa and take a break.

- Hot cocoa sounds amazing right now.


	9. Chapter 7 - The War Within

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 7 -The War Within  
**

* * *

_"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked._  
_"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."_  
_"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice._  
_"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."_

**-8 years ago, Club Savage, Parisian Ghetto-**

Club Savage was a hot spot in Southern Paris. Everyone raved on about it and everyone went; the rich and the poor. It was located on a sketchy side of town, though. Only drug dealers, prostitutes and low-income people dared to even live here. Not even the police frequented the area. Savage pulled in the revenue though. People could go there and party all night and then walk up the road to the only cafe and get some coffee the next morning. Kendra was a young woman then, the world was still new and wide open for exploration, though she hadn't made that her career just yet. College was the priority. Because of that clubbing and parties weren't her thing; however, her brother had just signed up to join the army. He would be shipping out in two days for boot camp and then it would be many weeks before Kendra saw him again. So he wanted to celebrate and do something crazy with his little sister. Mostly to get away from the disapproval of their parents. He insisted on trying out Club Savage, just once. Kendra was reluctant. She didn't want to get dressed up and go. It wasn't that she was anti-social, she was just too lazy. Somehow Oliver had smooth talked his way into getting her to go.

With their faces and their clothes, it wasn't too hard for the pair to jump the line and gain entrance. The club itself was like any other with strobe lights, loud music and dancing bodies. However this place was three stories high with two full length bars on opposite sides, the dance floor was smack in the middle, and the DJ booth was set up on the other far end of the club. On the second and third floors were sitting areas where people could relax and enjoy their drinks instead of dancing. The two looked at each other and smiled. They then pushed their way through the crowd and headed towards the bar. The bartender immediately approached them and took their order, "Uh, two car bombs and two White Russians," Oliver ordered, putting fifteen pounds on the bartop.

"Oy, I'm not dragging your ass home Oliver, so you better not get wasted!"

"Oh live a little. I'm going off to war, the least you can do is let me get smashed!"

Kendra pulled a disapproving face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't understand your urge to go and fight someone else's battles."

The bartender came back with their drinks and Oliver handed the car bomb to Kendra, "It effects us all. I'm not in it for the glory, though. I'm going for the experience. You really learn something about yourself when faced with life and death decisions. I don't know what to do with myself, KeKe, and I need to know what kind of man I am before I do anything else."

"There's other ways of discovering yourself. Go on a walkabout or something."

"I am! Except this one involves bullets. One day you'll understand. You'll go out there in the world and see it how I do, you'll feel it. You'll find something worth fighting for. It's something that can't be explained. It's a subjective thing. Anyways, let's drink to our future, whatever it may bring." Oliver gave her a brilliant smile before dropping the Irish cream into the Guinness and chugging it down.

* * *

War had multiple faces. It wasn't just about the bullets and the blood. All over the world people were at war against something. Whether it be famine, disease, poverty, religion, or personal preferences. Somebody always had an opinion. In spite of all the problems in the world, the worst war to fight was against oneself. It was the hardest and most disastrous thing of all. It could make or break a person. The weak of will could not survive, falling victim to the depravities of their own mind. The strong, though, those who struggled against the odds, through the blood, sweat, and tears, would emerge from the war a new person and if they're very lucky, a better person. Beneath the manic of Vaas, he was waging such a war. He suffered through many sleepless nights and hauntings from the past. The only thing that could knock him unconscious and clear his mind was either drugs or a good knock to the head. His body stayed so wired all the time that passing out from exhaustion was almost impossible.

Vaas had stayed up all night just staring at the ceiling. He could hear the faint noises of the pirates rough housing down the hill, the roars of tigers out in the jungle and if he strained his ears just enough he could hear Kendra in the next room. He couldn't make out what she was doing but she wasn't sleeping. He had noticed that about her. She barely ever slept when she was in the cage. Maybe it was anxiety because of her situation, or maybe she had insomnia like him. Vaas sat up a bit and carefully pressed his ear against the wall. It sounded like scratching, rhythmic scratching, ah, she was writing. He couldn't remember why he let her keep her journal. Actually he let her keep all her things except for the tablet. Other than that, the contents of her bag were of no threat to him. She was an interesting woman that was for sure. She had already challenged him twice when most people would cower. He had to wonder if that made her brave or stupid. Maybe she's met worse than him, if that were even possible. Given her company, maybe it was. He saw the spite between that Vincent fellow and Darius. There was some history there and somehow Kendra was involved.

The woman was indeed writing, mostly about what had happened so far on this island. She didn't know why she wrote it all down. It wasn't like anyone would ever see it. Writing helped her to calm down, though. It helped to organize her thoughts. Every entry she wrote was in Latin. Since it was a dead language and many people didn't bother to learn it, it was a simple and easy way to keep her journal encrypted. She doubted that even Vaas knew how to translate it. She had idly wondered what he knew and to what extent, what languages he could speak, what kind of person he could have been. She was interested in knowing how he got his start as a pirate. As far as she could tell, he was once a Rakyat who had fallen into the world of drugs, sex and violence. She had the mind to ask him about the Rakyat. That's why she was here anyways. The brunette decided she would do that in the morning, right before Vaas started up his antics.

She had only gotten about three hours of dreamless sleep when the feeling that she was being watched made her wake up. Sure enough Vaas was leaning against the wall watching her like a hawk. As if that wasn't creepy. She cleared her throat and threw the blankets back to swing her legs out over the edge.

"You look so peaceful when you're sleeping. Like a little kitten."

"Thanks?"

Vaas chuckled and clasped his hands together as he pushed himself away from the wall, "Okay, so today, we're going to make some videos."

Kendra inhaled deeply, "What kind of videos?"

"Torture videos." Vaas stated matter-of-factly and also quite seriously.

"Oh is that all?" Kendra retorted, trying to maintain her cool because hey, when a psychopath says he wants to make torture videos, keeping calm is common behavior.

"It's okay. There are some men here who are such pussies. They need to learn how to be honest with themselves, they need to learn how to be men." He explained, kneeling down beside her.

Kendra was a little relieved his plans for torture didn't involve bodily harm to herself. She still wasn't comfortable with the prospect of helping Vaas to torture some poor guy. He really did possess a flawed sense of perspective. There were differences between being what Vaas considered 'a man' and being human. He obviously didn't grasp the latter. Regardless, Kendra slowly nodded in acquiescence, "Right."

Vaas grinned and slapped her on her back, "Good! Now eat up while I go get some shit, okay." When he left the room and locked it back, Kendra released a breath she had been holding. She then looked to a chair that was put in there with her and the food that was on it. It was mostly just fruit and a glass of water. The idea of eating was very off putting but she hadn't really eaten anything substantial in awhile. Not to mention she was starting to get the shakes. So she finally gave in and began eating the fruit. In the back of her mind, she was worried about Vincent and the others. Did they make it out? Were they safe? Or did they join Charlie? Oh God, Charlie. It had all happened so fast she didn't even have the time to properly grieve. She had adored Charlie. He was the first person to join her team, so he had been there from the very beginning. After all those years, just like that, he was taken away from her and by a man she was wanting to understand no less.

She finished eating, put her boots on and swept her hair into a ponytail. She was a little frustrated that she lacked a solid plan just yet. Playing this by ear was far from appealing. Vaas could just change his mind in a heartbeat and kill her, even then, logic told her that he wouldn't. Why she was relying on logic to tell her that, she didn't know. Vaas wasn't a man who was exactly..._consistent_. He unlocked her door a moment later and she was glad to be out of there. It was strange how she felt more like being in a prison in that room than she did in the cage. Maybe because she was outside in the cage, and in the room she was right next to Vaas.

As they walked along he handed her a small camcorder, "You're going to be my camerawoman. We're gonna do a little reality show, yknow. It's gonna be great." Kendra kept her mouth shut. It was better to observe and learn from here on and ask questions later.

Carlos and two other pirates joined them as they left the main camp and trekked a short distance into another one. Kendra stopped dead in her tracks for a moment when she saw what this camp was for. There was at least three dozen cages here, more than the other camp, and every one of them had people in it. Were there other camps like this all over the island with hostages?

Vaas smiled and held his arms out, "It's amazing, right? Business is booming!" He reached out to Kendra and put an arm around her shoulder. "See a lot of these people are worth a lot of money, but the others...they're not even worth a bullet."

"We need to narrow the field then. So we don't waste any bullets," A voice interrupted. Vaas knew who it was already. Kendra could see his split second expression of disdain before he turned around with Kendra and faced Darius. The South African was smoking a cigar, relaxing against some crates of supplies. He lowered the aviators he was wearing and looked at Kendra.

"What's she still doing here? And what of her friends?"

"I took care of her friends, hermano. I got ten million for them. I'm keeping Kendra here as my pet. It's been awhile you know," Vaas stated. The way he looked at Darius almost dared the man to defy his decision.

Darius just snorted and shook his head, moving towards Vaas, "You just keep the bitch on a short leash, ya?" As Darius moved past the pair, he gestured to the hostages, "I've already tagged the ones that need to be sold. You can have fun with the others."

Vaas let go of Kendra and followed the other man to talk a little business. Kendra looked on, twiddling the camcorder in her hands. _You're just one person. What the hell can you do? 'One day you'll understand. You'll go out there in the world and see it how I do, you'll feel it. You'll find something worth fighting for.' _She glanced to a cage nearby, scrutinizing the occupants. Some looked so hopeless, others scared, only a few thought they could get out of this. A little bit of money for their freedom was no problem. She walked along, feeling extremely overwhelmed. She then looked to Darius and Vaas talking like all of this was normal. It was all just a business. She had heard that before from an arms dealer. The brunette had actually shut him down when she found out what he was doing in the town she was trying to help. He was finding children soldiers to go and fight for some tyrannical gangster who called himself a liberator of the people. The arms dealer was taking the children from the schools that Kendra had built. He even had a warlord blow the school up to get her to stop. It was supposed to make her docile and run away, but it only made her vindictive. Her brother had always taught her to not take anyone's shit. It only took her three weeks to end the arms dealer's reign.

"Guess what? Your people paid up." Vaas announced, opening the cage of a rather well dressed man. He looked extremely posh and even in the face of such a place and such people, the man still found it in him to be conceded.

"Of course they paid. Do you have any idea who my father is?" The man answered, exiting the cage. He brushed the sand off his blazer and smoothed out his hair. "Well take me to the boat."

Vaas mockingly bowed to the man, then gestured for him to follow. "Kendra!" He called out. She left the cages and moved to follow behind Vaas as three more pirates joined them, making a total of six plus Vaas.

The other man eyed the brunette up and down before scoffing, "And just who are you? His bitch?"

Kendra narrowed her eyes at the man. "No but if you keep talking like that, you'll be his." The nerve of some people. Did this guy really think he was being let go? He was Vaas's favorite kind of meal to chew up and spit out.

Vaas just smirked as they walked further into the jungle. Once they were out in a clearing Vaas stopped and enjoyed the view. He truly was blessed to live in such a beautiful place. The man came out behind him and furrowed his brows. "This isn't the coast. Where's the boat?"

Vaas pointed to the other side of the clearing, "It's through there, hermano. You're free to go...if you can make it."

"What are you talking about?" The man demanded, daring to get in Vaas's face.

Vaas just unholstered his gun and cocked it, "It means 'run'. Today we find out what kind of man you are."

The man just stared at him, mouth agape. Kendra couldn't help but smirk. Now she knew what she looked like whenever Vaas did or said something shocking.

"You're psychotic."

"And you have five seconds..._One-"_

The man began shaking his head and backing away as Vaas reached two. This guy wasn't joking. He quickly turned tail and began running across the clearing and into the jungle on the other side. Vaas went over to Kendra and requested that she turn on the camera, which she did without hesitation. She focused it on him as he ordered his pirates to go corral the man. "That was Peter running off into the jungles. Peter is used to having his way. He's very fucking selfish. He's probably never lifted a finger to do something. Now he talked down to me like he owned this fucking island, like he was better than me but no. Today and maybe over the next few days, we will show that piece of shit what it means to be a fighter, a survivor! Like the reality show. Haha, let's go!" Vaas gestured for her to follow as he ran off and she reluctantly began to run as well. There was something really sick about this.

* * *

It didn't take long for them to catch up to Peter. The poor schmuck had twisted his ankle on one of the many protruding roots. Vaas hovered over the guy and shook his head, "Peter...you're very bad at this. This is not entertaining. What are my viewers going to think, huh? The internet peoples...they will not be happy."

"Please, man, I just wanna go home! Please!" Peter pleaded, putting his hands up in surrender.

Vaas knelt down beside him and smacked his forehead. "Hey! Don't fucking beg. I can't fix you. Only you can." He then moved to the poke Peter's ankle. "How's your ankle, huh?"

Peter cried out and jerked his leg away from Vaas, "It fucking hurts!"

"That's too bad. I had so much planned. It's okay. We'll think of something else. You want to see the coast yes?" Peter nodded. "Okay, you're gonna get a great fucking view." The pirates picked him up as Vaas moved away and began carrying him the rest of the way to the coast. Kendra continued on with the camera and walked up beside Vaas.

"I have a question."

"Just one?"

"A few."

"Oh, I don't know about a few.

"You were Rakyat right?"

"Is that the question?"

"Please..."

"Alright, alright, yes, I was."

"What happened?"

"I ran away. They wanted me to do some shit I didn't feel like doing. So I went to work with Hoyt and he let me do what I wanted. It's a pretty good life." Vaas explained.

"So you enjoy the killing, the slavery and the drugs?" She asked, wondering if it was a good idea to press her luck just yet.

Vaas stopped walking and turned her to face him, "Why are you so fucking curious all of a sudden hm?"

Kendra shook her head, "No reason, just...asking."

"...Don't fuck with me, Kendra. And don't get comfortable here."

"Trust me, that's the last thing I wanna do. I came here for one thing before _your_ people fucked with me."

"Yeah, I know, and I told you, you're not gonna know more about the Rakyat. We don't like outsiders."

"So why are you working for Volker?"

"..That's enough fucking questions, c'mon." He pushed her forward and started walking behind her. Kendra released a sigh and moved the camera back up to focus on Peter. Why the hell had she asked that? She clearly didn't care about him. She was only there for the Rakyat initially. He wasn't about to let her use him. But that question about Volker had seriously thrown him off. In the end, he decided he worked for that prick because it was better to be the Devil's right hand than in his path. The South African had his own little army and he would have taken over both islands with or without Vaas's help. He didn't like that little fact. Hell, if Hoyt didn't have a brother it would have been left to Vaas to pick up the pieces and run the whole business himself. What an empire that would have been.

When they reached the coast, Peter was dropped on the ground and the pirates went about digging a hole for him. Vaas sat down beside Peter and pointed to the ocean, "Isn't that such a nice view?"

"Where's the boat?" He asked, glancing at his would be warden.

"There is no boat Peter. I lied. Did you honestly think I'd fucking let you go? You do not come and go here as you please. There are consequences to coming here. You leave one of two ways. You get sold to someone, or you die and go to Heaven or Hell or wherever hermano." He shifted to Kendra, "I am sorry about your friends. I lied to you too."

Kendra feigned looking crest fallen as she rested the camcorder in her lap. She already knew from the beginning that Vaas never had any intention of letting them leave. She didn't know what befell them in the end. She could only hope that Vincent and David had overpowered their captors and hijack the ship that was to take them away to their new masters. Hope didn't seem to have such a long shelf life on this island.

Once the hole had been dug, Peter was put in it with no lack of protest on his part. Regardless, he was put in and buried with sand up to his neck. Another head for Vaas's infamous garden. Kendra positioned the camera on a rock so it would point at Peter. She then stood back and watched as Vaas brought over a battery and some cables with paddles. Peter protested again but of course none of it even phased Vaas as he continued on. He hooked up the cables to the battery and placed the paddles on either side of Peter's head. He screamed and wreathed his head around as Vaas just cackled away. He then removed the paddles and Peter just shook his head, trying to get rid of the daze he was in. "That is fuckin' hilarious. Every fuckin' time. You okay there Peter?"

"Fuck you!"

"You know people can't usually handle the battery. You should be proud. Listen, I can't torture you a whole lot. We have some other episodes left, okay. But I am gonna take a souvenir before I leave." Vaas got up and pulled a pair of pliers from his pocket. He forced Peter to keep his mouth open as he reached in with the pliers and took hold of a molar. With a lot of effort on his part and screaming on Peter's, the molar finally came out. "Damn you have good teeth!"

Kendra had to wince and look away, the sight and the sounds making her uncomfortable. She could only imagine that's what happened to Charlie when Vaas took him away. He had buried her friend in sand and pulled his tooth out and probably did all other sorts of torture on him. She felt like crying then. She felt like such a shitty person to have ever let that happen. She held it in though. She had to be strong. She squeezed her eyes shut before blinking away the tears that threatened to spill over.

"You get some sleep Peter and we come back in the morning!" Vaas put the tooth in his pocket along with his pliers and turned the camera off. He left it there though and made his way to Carlos. The man handed him a radio. Vaas spoke briefly to someone on the other end before gesturing to Kendra to follow. She did so, suddenly feeling the urge to shove a knife through his skull. The thought of even wanting to do that was unsettling. That was the word. Vaas unsettled her in more ways than one. There was a sadistic side to her that enjoyed the idea of torturing Vaas, to make him scream and beg. That would seem inhuman. On the other hand, who didn't want to get away with murder and torture at some point in their life? Kendra may have been selfless when the time called for it but that by no means made her a nice person. She was just nice enough to exercise an extreme amount of self-control. Something that Vaas lacked. The two were quite literally polar opposites.

They had trekked several hours back through the jungle to get to the camp. This all seemed pretty tedious for a little bit of entertainment. The guy should have invested in a television set or some video games. At Vaas's hut, a thin, scarred up man who had been waiting for his arrival approached the pirate leader with an eager and slightly creepy smile. "I have a new formula I think you would be interested in. You'll be soaring through the air like a dragon!" He pulled out a little baggy with two blood red pills and gave it to Vaas. He took it and examined them in the light, a little suspicious of what was in it. "It's my best, I promise."

Vaas looked at Kendra and nodded his head for her to come over. She bit back the hatred she was still swimming in and moved closer. "Open your mouth." Vaas ordered. She gave him a look as if to defy him. "Don't give me that look, just fucking open your mouth!" Kendra rolled her eyes and slowly opened her mouth. Vaas took one of the pills and popped it into her mouth. It tasted disgusting but she swallowed it anyways. Vaas and the man watched her intently for some sort of reaction. She looked between the both of them but nothing was happening. "How do you feel?" The man asked suddenly bug eyed and in her face. Vaas grabbed him and pulled him back.

"I feel fi-..."

"What?" Vaas asked.

Kendra blinked several times as her vision began to swim. She couldn't keep her eyes straight. She then rubbed her eyes and looked around. The walls started to dancing and wave giving her a sense of uneasiness. She looked to the man, the would be chemist and his eyes were huge. Bigger for any normal human. His hands morphed into three large digits and his nose began to grow out. "Oh shit." Kendra stepped away from him and Vaas followed after to make sure she didn't fall. She then stared at Vaas. He looked normal but the air around him began to shimmer and all of a sudden he was on fire! She jumped back as if she could feel the heat he was emanating. "What the hell did you give me?" She asked stumbling back. She then winced in pain as a ring began echoing in her ears. She heard a thousand voices all at once, voices that belonged to people she knew from conversations she had. She yelled out and then collapsed to the floor unconscious.

"What the fuck?!" Vaas was on his knees beside her, checking her pulse. He pushed her hair back and pulled open her eyes. They were dilated to the extreme and unmoving. "What the hell is in that shit?"

The chemist shrugged and shook his head, "Just the usual. A few of the plants here, some LSD and a hint of Absinthe. There is this new plant I found under the water, though. I put that in it too. Has she never tried any of the products?"

"No!" Vaas tried slapping her face to make her wake up, but it didn't phase her at all. She was out cold.

"Oh she'll be like that for hours. I was too. Like I said. Fly like a dragon. She's very far gone."

"Well when is she coming back?"

"Depends on where her mind takes her. I'm telling you Vaas, this will be the greatest thing to hit the market since cocaine."

"Okay, okay, just...leave it and go." He waved the chemist off and picked Kendra up off the floor. The chemist left the baggie on the desk and exited the hut with a happy smile on his face. Vaas carried Kendra to her bunk. "Kendra, you better not die or something."

The woman's eyes suddenly opened and stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking to Vaas. She grinned mischievously and rose up to face the man. "Kendra isn't here right now. Well...not all of her. You're still on fire." She said taking a hold of Vaas's face. "I have so many questions. Oh, I loved to have a look at your brain."

He grabbed her hands and pulled them away, not really grasping what was going on with her. He should know better by now than to try that man's shit. The last time he did, he was walking around the camp naked demanding to know who stole his brain. "Well that's not gonna happen. I like my brain to myself, thank you."

Kendra winced again and shivered, a whole new sensation going through her body. A million synapses were firing all at once. There was pain, ecstasy, a ton of noise and not to mention the strange hallucinations. Right now, the room they were in didn't exist to her. They were in Club Savage back in Paris. The music thumped against her ears, the smell of sweat and alcohol reached her nostrils. "Ooooh, this is unreal...I like it. I can _feel_ everything." She looked back at Vaas and moved closer, "And I mean _everything_." Within an instant her lips were upon his. That definitely sent him for a loop. He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. Oh, she was incredibly high. He was curious more than once about how she tasted. At any other time, this situation wouldn't have been happening. She was vulnerable right now, though. Who was he to not take advantage? Besides, she probably wouldn't remember any of it.

Vaas wanted to see those blue eyes glaze over with pleasure, to lose her control to him. His mouth wanted to taste everything that she was, his hands to touch her, to violate her in ways no one had before. He pushed her back on the bunk and straddled her in one swift movement. Her hands were hungry and searching. She sat up enough to pull Vaas's shirt off and toss it aside. She did the same to her own. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard before pulling him back down. He flicked his tongue across her lips and she allowed him entrance, tongues wrapping around each other perfectly. The woman groaned as she felt Vaas's erection grow against her. He broke the kiss and moved to unbuckle her pants. He removed her boots and then the pants came off. She was left in her undergarments and in the dim lighting Vaas could see just how toned she was. He grinned and slid his calloused fingers up her abdomen. He could tell she was dying for a release in her drug addled state. It was interesting to see this woman in such a manner. It excited him. That chemist may be on to something this time.

He began to trail kisses across her skin and she dug her nails into his back. The feeling sent chills up his spine and made his groin throb in pain. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head with one hand. He used his other to asphyxiate her a bit whilst nibbling on her ear. She bucked against him and wrapped her legs around his waist. "Oh you're greedy you." He said with a smile. She just grinned back in response, her mind already tripping around another scene. He grabbed hold of one of her breasts, using his fingers to make the nipple hard, while working his tongue across the other. It was driving Kendra crazy in her hallucinogenic state. She threw her head back and released a heavy pant. Vaas figured that was enough torture for now. So he worked on removing his own boots and pants before removing the rest of her garments. The two were now in the buff and Vaas wasted no time in penetrating her. Kendra wrapped her legs around his waist again to pull him closer. He gripped her hips and rhythmically thrust in and out. Kendra gripped the sheets and bucked her hips in time with his movements.

On the cusp of her climax, she did something really surprising. She reached up to grab Vaas and then flipped them over so that he was on back. She pushed her hair back and looked him in the eyes as she moved herself against, using his penis to her advantage. She took his hands and guided them up her breasts, enjoying the rough feeling upon her skin. She moved deeper and faster, her breathing hitched. She grabbed onto his shoulders and dug in, causing him to release the lowest growl she ever heard. It only added to her ecstasy. Before too long, she was screaming out Vaas's name as she climaxed but she kept bobbing up and down his cock until he climaxed himself. When she felt the warmth of his release inside her, she finally collapsed onto his chest in a heaving, sweaty mess.

"Kendra...Kendra!" Vaas was slapping her face to try and make her come to but it wasn't working. She was out cold.

"Oh she'll be like that for hours. I was too. Like I said. Fly like a dragon. She's very far gone." The chemist stated.

"Well when is she coming back?"

"Depends on where her mind takes her. I'm telling you Vaas, this will be the greatest thing to hit the market since cocaine."

"Okay, okay, just...leave it and go." He waved the chemist off and picked Kendra up off the floor. The chemist left the baggie on the desk and exited the hut with a happy smile on his face. Vaas carried Kendra to her bunk. "Kendra, you better not die or something."

The glorious sex Kendra thought she had with Vaas never happened. It was only in the deep recesses of her mind. She could hear his voice amongst all the others that filled her head. Somewhere in there existed a desire to be with the psychopath. She had found him attractive since day one but it was his volatility and proclivity to violence that had turned her way off. Consciously that was. Her subconscious had an entirely different opinion and right now, it was at the forefront of her mind thanks to whatever pill Vaas had given her. She was fighting a little war within herself between logic and reckless abandonment. A struggle she was sure many had suffered from. Even with everything that had taken place in her mind, her body out in the real world still reacted. Vaas was in the room with her when she started up her heavy panting and groans of ecstasy. Then came the scream and of course his name. He rose a brow at that and concluded one thing; in some way, she was attracted to him. He smirked at that revelation and decided he would build upon it and use it against her down the road. Now he could really have some fun.

* * *

******A/N:** I am not sorry.

**Jexx:**I still don't understand why some people see Jason and his friends as 'rich douchebags who only care about themselves'.

I loved Jason Brody... but whatever, I guess that's just me. (I loved Vaas too)

Also, Jason had some training in guns from his brother (was called a 'natural'). I'm also convinced that Far Cry 3 takes place in the same world as Assassin's Creed and that the Rook Island culture contains some sort of major link to the First Civilization.

I wonder if Far Cry 4 will take place in the same world as FC3 or if it'll be separated from FC3 like FC3 is from FC2 and FC1.

- I honestly don't think Jason and his friends are that way. Because if that were true he wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to try and save his friends in the first place. And even if he did have some initial training, he's still one dude and that's a lot of pirates. But I digress, that's the premise to a lot of stories that I happen to love. So I can't really complain without sounding like a hypocrite. I'm just commenting on what I saw in the game and how I can apply it to this story. I have no idea if it's true or not.

**MischievousEnigma:**This fanfiction is amazing, i'm enjoying it immensly. Vaas in perfectly in character as everyone has said, and I really like Kendra. She's a strong character but not unbelievably so, which is great. Anyway, you're a great writer and i can't wait to read more. :)

- askfllfajg;arho, you guys ;-;

**skittlespit:**Welcome to the Jungle fits Vaas ridiculously well! XD! Now everytime I hear it, I'll think of him.

I think you did just fine with the fight scene! And I like the little backstory you gave for how he got the scar on his head. And since I think Citra is a crazy bitch, I really hope Vaas gets to kill her.

- I heard it when I went grocery shopping and immediately thought of him XD  
And thanks! We'll get to see some sibling dynamic later on~


	10. Chapter 8 - The C Boys

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 8 - The C Boys **

* * *

The day Charlie died had been devastating to Kendra and the rest of her group. Little did she know, though, that it was all a ploy. Carlos went to the beach to dig Charlie out but made a switch on the way back to the main camp. He grabbed some poor, worthless man in their eyes, and brought him along, leaving Charlie behind in the care of two other pirates. Vaas really had no intention of getting rid of Charlie. He reminded the pirate of his last pet Chris, who had supposedly died that morning. Charlie looked on as Vaas shoveled sand onto his head and then bid the viewers goodbye. The technician did not want that happening to him. The two pirates with him had tied his hands behind his back and sat him on the ground while they waited. While the pair were shooting the shit, Charlie managed to pull out the small knife that had been concealed in his hiking boot. He cut through the rope and looked around for something heavy to use. He couldn't find anything but he notice that these two dickheads weren't even paying attention to him. So he decided to test the waters. He slowly and quietly crept back and then paused. The pirates were still playing chatty cathy. He crept back further and further until he was just out of view. He then broke out into a run into the jungle, a split second thought directing him back to the beach.

The pirates had noticed his absence within a few seconds and immediately went after him. When Charlie heard them gaining some ground on him, he decided to climb a tree. The two split up and when one passed under the tree Charlie occupied, he hopped out and used his weight to knock the guy out. The pirates luckily hit a root pretty hard and he was unconscious in a second. Charlie took his semi-automatic and continued on to the beach. Once there he looked around for a pile of sand that held the other hostage. He quickly set about digging it up when he found it. "Hey, hey! C'mon, man, don't be dead." Charlie kept digging him out until he was halfway down, then he began hoisting the man out of the hole. The elder checked his pulse. There was still a faint heartbeat. Charlie began fiercely shaking the guy, thinking that he had seen him before. When that wasn't working, he dragged the body over to the water and started splashing water in his face. "Wake the fuck up!" After a moment, the man began moving around, moaning and then flailing. When he realized his arms and legs were free of the sand, he started flipping out and jumped to his feet, ready to attack Charlie.

"Dude, it's cool! Calm down, I'm not one of them," Charlie explained, holding his hands up in defense.

The other blinked a few times and focused on the other, "Who the fuck are you then?"

"The guy who just saved your ass. You're welcome." Charlie said picking up the gun and slinging it around his shoulder. "The name's Charlie."

The other lowered his fists, somewhat confident that this Charlie wasn't his enemy. He felt weak in the legs since he hadn't used them for awhile and just about wanted to collapse. And so he did. He fell onto his back and stared up at the trees. "Chris," He finally said, "My name's Chris."

"Well Chris I just got away from two pirates. I managed to knock one out but I don't know where the other one is."

Chris rose up, using his hands to support him, "Where's that fucker Vaas?"

"Back at the camp I imagine. He has my people."

"Well, he killed all mine...Oh, God...Barry," Chris grimaced and immediately turned to vomit, remembering that Vaas had fed him Barry's leg. He didn't have much food and water in him as it was.

Charlie turned his ear towards the jungle when he heard something coming their way. He hightailed it into hiding leaving Chris unawares. The second pirate came springing out, gun pointed at Chris. He shouted at the kid in Malay and all Chris could do was stutter pleas, putting his hands. A shot rang out and the pirate fell dead. Charlie came out of hiding and approached the body to make sure he was dead. He then grabbed the other gun and gave it to Chris. He also searched the body for other essentials like water, a radio and a granola bar. Charlie gave the water and granola bar to Chris, knowing he would need it more. Chris happily accepted the items and began eating the granola.

"I know it may be a lot to ask," Charlie started, "but I need to get my friends back."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Chris asked chewing a mouthful of granola.

"I haven't figured it out yet. There's a village around here somewhere, though. They can probably help us."

Once the granola had been annihilated, Chris drank some of the water and rose to his feet, "Let's find that village then. As much as I want off this island, I wanna kill Vaas more."

"Sounds like a plan," Charlie replied with a smirk.

* * *

A few minutes later, Charlie and Chris were pushing their way through the jungle. Chris had to stop every once in awhile to catch his breath since he hadn't moved anything but his head for about a week. He glanced at Charlie, still trying to figure out his story since they were at the beach. "I got a question. How did you get here?"

Charlie, who was currently scanning the area for a patrol, looked back at Chris with a shrug, "Got here by boat. Boat got blown up."

"Same. Why are you here, though? I came to film a reality show but...that got cut pretty fucking short."

"We came here for the Rakyat ruins and what's left of the people.- What reality show?"

"The Far Cry Experience," Chris replied with a proud grin, "I was supposed to survive the wild for a few days..." He trailed off looking at his surroundings. He survived alright but not the way he had originally imagined.

"Tough break, man. Haven't I seen you before?"

"Maybe. Ever see Kick-Ass?"

"Uh...yeah, actually."

"I'm the Red Mist," Chris stated with another proud grin.

"Oh, shit, yeah you are. You look so different with facial hair!" Charlie replied with a grin of his own, reaching out to shake Chris's hand.

"Hey, the ladies love it," Chris shook Charlie's hand before rubbing the little bit of growth he acquired.

The two began moving again soon after. They eventually reached a road that led west and hopefully to the village. Charlie honestly had no idea where to go. He could only rely on what David told him; that was to head west to find the village should they ever get split up. As they went along the road, they had to duck for cover on the side in order to avoid two patrol jeeps. The risk of being discovered was nerve wracking. Charlie wanted to facepalm at himself for not thinking to take the clothes of the two pirates back near the beach. It sure would have come in handy right now. Then again, if the villagers saw them like that, there would be a problem.

"Yanno what? If we're gonna be running around gunning down pirates like Rambo, we should have a name," Chris remarked randomly.

"Oh, absolutely," Charlie retorted sarcastically, "What the hell do we need a name for?"

"I don't know, they always have cool team names in the movies."

"You've been working in Hollywood too long bro."

"Seriously, you can't tell me you've never wanted a cool team name."

"Okay, okay. I don't know...the fuckin...C Boys?"

Chris stopped in his tracks and stared at Charlie in disbelief, "The C Boys? That's the lamest shit I've ever heard. What are we a boy band?"

"Better than C Men."

Chris thought about it for a moment and tilted his head to the side in agreement, "True, but we gotta think of something better."

"In the meantime, let's focus on finding this village before it gets dark. There's tigers and shit out here."

"Right. I heard them at night when I was on the beach. I'm surprised one hasn't tried to eat my head or something."

"Well they will now."

"Thanks, dude, that's comforting."

"You're welcome."

Hours passed as they went along this road. The daylight slowly turned into dusk and the mosquitoes came out to feast. Chris and Charlie were constantly smacking themselves in an effort to kill the pesky insects. Chris couldn't hold out much longer. His body yearned for rest and nourishment. Charlie had to grip his upper arm and pull him along just to keep him moving. After another two hours, they finally heard some music up ahead. It was dark enough to catch the dim flicker of light off in the distance. Chris drank down some of the water and narrowed his eyes to try and get a better look from their location, "Is that it?"

"Only one way to find out," Charlie replied, cocking the hammer of his AK-47. They hunkered down and crept closer to the noise and light, hoping they didn't stumble upon yet another pirate encampment. As they neared they could see people dressed in regular civilian clothes. No red shirts or anything. They were apparently having a feast. The sight of a boar roasting over a pit made their stomachs scream in agony. "I think this is it," Charlie stated, daring to get closer.

"How do we know they're not working for Vaas or something?" Chris hissed, holding Charlie back.

"Why would they? He kidnaps their people just as much as tourists. If anything, they'll be happy to help. Besides, my friend overheard some of the pirates talking about them. Apparently their not on amicable terms. C'mon." Charlie slung the gun over his shoulder and slowly entered the village. The people that had gathered around the fire pit observed him and Chris, watching them like a hawk. A dark skinned man broke away from the crowd and neared them. He gave them a once over and immediately knew what had happened. "Have you escaped Vaas, my friends?"

Chris and Charlie looked at each other before nodding. The man smiled and held his arms out, "Then you are truly an inspiration! Not many have escaped him before. In fact, only one has but he is no longer with us. And now, the jungle has given us two more strong warriors. Come, come, you must be famished." He gestured to the fire pit and guided them over, "I am Dennis by the way."

"Charlie."

"Chris."

The two sat down on a broad log, thankful to rest their legs. They were given water and they immediately drank that down. Dennis sat adjacent to them on a wooden crate. "How long have you been traveling?"

"Several hours," Charlie replied, "Though my friends and I have been here a few days already. As for this guy-"

"I've been here nearly a week...I think," Chris responded looking a little crest fallen.

"Fret not," Dennis stated, clasping Chris's shoulder, "You are safe now. This is Amanaki Village, what is left of it after our battle with Vaas's people. Still, we are strong."

Charlie used this opportunity to get some information and perhaps some help, "Listen, I don't wanna impose or anything, but Vaas still has my friends back at his camp. I haven't seen them since yesterday morning. Is there any way you can help me?"

"I can help you...but first, you must help yourself," Dennis gestured to the women that brought the pair some food and a small cut from the boar. "Eat up. Gather your strength and then get some rest. In the morning, we will talk." With that Dennis left, traipsing off through Amanaki.

Charlie wanted to go after him but he knew the conversation had ended and wouldn't be picked up again until morning. Dennis came off as a decisive man. And so, Charlie just ate the food he was given, his worries had somehow been put aside. He did indeed feel safe here but the back of his mind wondered about the welfare of his friends. He glanced at Chris who was busy stuffing his face. No one could really blame the guy if he had been buried for as long as he thought.

The celebrations continued, a new sense of joy coursing through the village. Chris and Charlie were given as much food and drink they could take. Then they were shown to a simple house, it's design made a stark contrast to Vaas's shanty camp. They were also given fresh clothing and were shown where they could shower. Chris let out a joyous shout as he jumped face first into the bunk. The feel of an actual bed was something he had taken for granted before. Now, he cherished it. Charlie was a little more apprehensive, though. While he trusted these people wouldn't hurt them, he couldn't help but be on guard. How were they not constantly harassed by Vaas's people? The villagers weren't more than a four hour drive away from those animals and yet they could enjoy food and dance like they hadn't a care in the world. He needed more answers and decided to drill Dennis a bit in the morning.

* * *

Charlie awoke to the sound of water running out back. He turned slightly in his bed and noticed Chris was scrubbing off layers of dirt and God knew what else. Charlie got up a few minutes later and stretched a bit. That's when Chris came back, extremely pleased to be clean again. "Holy shit, you have no idea how good it feels to be clean. No more sand, and dirt and piss." He grumbled something under his breath about Vaas but Charlie easily ignored it. He then went out back to take a shower himself as Chris got dressed. "Now this place decides to be heaven!" Chris called out so Charlie could here him. "If only I met these villagers first, huh?"

Charlie was happy to be clean himself, though he wasn't as filthy as Chris was. Once he finished, the pair went out into the village again to find Dennis. Chris had gained some new perspective since his arrival on the island. Where once he was a Hollywood star, acting such scenes like this, he was now a man trying to fight against an ostensively evil force. He sure would have a story to tell when he got back home, if he got back home. As they neared the center of the village, Dennis approached them with a smile, "My friends, you are looking much better now. Are you feeling better too?"

"Much. Thanks," Chris replied.

Dennis nodded once, "Good, good. So, you still want help to fight against Vaas?"

Charlie crossed his arms and nodded, "Yes, anything you can offer."

"I told you before I could help you, you must help yourselves. It is one thing to tote around a weapon and shoot the pirates, it is something different to truly fight them. The man, Vaas, he was once Rakyat and they are powerful warriors of Rook Island. To go against him, you must be warriors yourself."

"Ah," Charlie interrupted, "Sorry but we don't exactly have time for that. I don't know if you noticed, but Vaas isn't exactly a guy of patience."

Dennis held up his hands, "He will first ransom your friends and wait for the money to arrive, then he will find a buyer to sell them to. That takes time. If he knows you have escaped, then he will keep your friends alive to get to you. Trust me, Charlie, I know what I am doing." He gestured for them to follow and began walking up a small path that led out into the jungle. "Vaas and the pirates use the jungle to their advantage, so must you." He faced the two men and handed them each a knife and a gun.

"So you want us to what? Go full Rambo or something?" Chris asked taking both weapons. This seemed like a load of bullshit to him. He had to agree with Charlie that this was wasting time. It was best to go after Vaas now before he realized what happened.

"No, I want you to learn. We gain our power from the jungle, from the island. In order to beat Vaas you must know where you stand, you must know the terrain, how he works, where his people and your allies are. It is not an impossible task. Do not fear your instincts. Society has taught you to fail, not nature. Go for a hunt, collect some plants and animal skins, know the ways of the island so that you may succeed. Trust your instincts." Dennis grabbed a hold of their shoulders with a reassuring grip, "Charlie, Chris, I know that you will do well. I knew it when I set eyes on you. I promise, by the morning, things will be a lot clearer to you. We can then plan our attack and start picking off Vaas's men. The rebellion will rise again and you two will lead us." With that, he put his hand on his across his chest and gave them a small bow before walking back down the hill. Charlie noticed for the first time that Dennis had tatus much like Vaas.

"What the _fuck_ was that all about?" Chris stated, breaking the silence. Charlie looked to him and shrugged.

"C'mon man, let's just go. There might be something to all this. If Vaas was Rakyat, he had to go through the same thing Dennis is trying to put us through. I doubt the pirates did. It could give us an advantage."

"What you believin' this witch doctor shit?"

"No, I'm just saying, let's see how this pans out. My boss, she's smart, she's gotten us out of way worse than this. She's an extremely persuasive person," Charlie replied. He looked down at the gun and the knife with a sigh, "I just hope I'm not too late."

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**A/N:** TADA! Ask and you shall receive. I had been wondering if I should throw Chris into the mix for shits and giggles, but since you guys were wanting it, I went with it. Him and Charlie can be the comedic relief. And perhaps the true heroes of the story! -le gasp- Stick around kids, I'm working on another chapter right now. If it's not out tonight, it will be tomorrow.

P.S. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Really, I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying it cause I had no idea where I was taking this initially. I may get busy from time to time with real life, but I have no plans to stop this story now. So stick around and be on the lookout. Much love.


	11. Chapter 9 - Falling Into A Dream

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

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**Chapter 9 - Falling Into a Dream **

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_"What do you mean by that?" Said the caterpillar sternly. "Explain yourself!"_

_"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir." said Alice. "Because I'm not myself you see."_

_"I don't see," said the caterpillar._

Kendra tossed and turned for the rest of the night. Her drug induced ecstasy quickly turning into a nightmare. There were so many voices from the past tormenting her mind. She could hear her parents, her brother, her professors, her enemies, the screams of innocent victims, then came Vaas's voice. _"Welcome to my island." _She started to break out into a cold sweat, her heart rate shot up. Colors morphed into a kaleidoscope of rainbows. She wanted all the noise to stop, she wanted peace. Then suddenly, it all went quiet. She was in the jungle, it was pitch black, she could hardly see in front of her. She heard the sound of a horn and immediately took off, the direction didn't matter so long as it got her away. _Get away, get away, run! Evil is coming for me. _The horn rang out again. The sounds of the jungle came alive as Kendra ran for her life. The trees began to moan and grumble, the Earth shook beneath her weight, tigers roared and monkeys howled.

"If this jungle doesn't eat you up alive, I will!" Vaas's voice echoed. Adrenaline shot through the woman's veins, pushing her to go faster. Her lungs burned and her mind buzzed with a million thoughts all moving and meshing together at mach speed. Bodies began to drop out of the trees, hanging by their necks, all manner of organs sliding out from their cut open abdomens with a sickening sound. She ran this way and that to try and avoid it. She then entered a sandy clearing with heads sticking out as far as the eye could see. It was dead silent again. Then all the heads cried out, loud and in unison, "Help us! Save us! He's coming for us. There's no place to hide." Kendra ran across the garden, trying to escape it when she heard a familiar voice amongst the crowd. She stopped short and searched for it. When she finally found the person, she screamed out in terror. Buried in the sand were her friends and family, all bloody and ghoulish, having been dead for days like zombies from a horror movie. The brunette began running again, the horn reaching her ears. The Earth trembled once more and caused her to fall. She turned onto her back and looked behind her. Vaas was a veritable giant, knocking over trees and crushing heads beneath his boots to get to her.

"Come here, hermana. We're going to have some fun!" His voice was booming. The world turned red as his giant hand reached down to grab her. Kendra struggled to get up but found she was being restrained. She frantically looked on either side of her and saw that she was being held down by the victims that Vaas had murdered. She tried to wiggle away but every time she did, she would sink further into the sand. She panicked and tried to get away, but she couldn't. "Join us, join us, join us." They all chanted.

"NO! Let go of me! Fuck off!" Kendra kept trying to free herself as the sand slid over her, turning into blood and burying her alive, while she was screaming and suffocating along the way.

Kendra woke up with a start, launching herself right out of the bunk and onto the floor. She waved her arms around still feeling the strangle hold of the people still on her. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was quite alone. She moved herself back into a corner of the room and wrapped her arms around her legs. Blue eyes searched the brightness of the room. It wasn't all just a terrible dream. She was still on this God-forsaken island. She rubbed her sore eyes and tried to remember what happened, but it was a blur for the most part. Nonetheless, it left her feeling very much disturbed. How she was going to make it as the person she was, could not yet be seen. She didn't want to turn into a monster to beat one, but that's usually how it went. _No!_ She wouldn't. She would figure it out. The woman was good at getting herself out of seemingly impossible situations.

Kendra tried to move from her spot and discovered that her muscles ached tremendously. They must have been clenched all night. She was certain she had indeed been out all night. That was the last time she let Vaas use her like a guinea pig. Just the thought of it actually made her quite upset. In fact, a lot of what he did made her upset. Consequences be damned, she would give that man a piece of her mind. As soon as she heard him enter the hut and come towards her door, she was on her feet, ready and waiting. When the door was opened and his smiling face entered, she immediately slapped him across the face and pushed him out, "You asshole!" Vaas was not expecting such an explosive reaction from the woman. It had caught him so off guard that he stumbled back and fell on his ass. Before he could say or do anything, Kendra was on him, hands grasped on the straps of his tank. She pushed him back hard against the floor, his head making a thud against the wooden planks as she got up in his face, "If you **ever** give me drugs again, I will run a spit through you and roast you up for a luau! Is that understood?"

Vaas could only laugh at her fierceness. Any other time, he'd be pissed that she dare hit him. But as always, he just found her so damn amusing. He held his hands up in defense, "Damn, you are such a little firecracker. I had no idea, but okay. No more drugs for you. You seemed to like it well enough last night, though." Kendra ignored the quip and released her hold on him before getting to her feet. Vaas got up a moment later and brushed himself off.

"I've got some business to attend to on the south island so you'll be staying here today. I'm not gonna lock you in your room, cause you need sunlight to make you big and strong, right? So don't fucking try anything. My men will be watching you."

"You're going to leave me here alone with them? After what happened the last time?" Kendra inquired, folding her arms. She could hardly believe she was hearing this. Being alone with Vaas was one thing, but a camp full of ravenous pirates? Oh no no. That did not make her feel secure **at all**.

"Hey, they all know you belong to me. They fuck with you and I cut their heads off. So you'll be fine. Now have some fun, but not too much. Remember, if you try to escape...it's not gonna be good for you."

"Rules, right? You'd have to set an example."

Vaas smirked and turned to leave, "I'll be back in a few hours."

Kendra wasn't sure she even wanted to leave the hut. As much as she tempted to explore, she didn't want to be outside, where the pirates could see her or she could see the other hostages. Since Vaas wouldn't tell her much about himself, maybe she could snoop around his place and try to find something useful. The woman was already treading a thin with him. If she tried hard enough to win his favor, perhaps he could allow her to finish exploring the ruins. Perhaps she could also formulate a solid plan this time instead of playing it by ear. It was all wishful thinking, really, but when it came to Vaas, anything was possible, especially if there was something in it for him. Kendra had picked up on that as well. He was a man of fortune, after all. He would have made a good military man if it weren't for what happened to him.

After she was sure he left, she closed the door to the hut and began searching his place for clues about his past. She started with the filing cabinet. Amongst everything else in the shanty, it really stood out. She didn't find much in the way of files, just scraps of paper Vaas had haphazardly stuffed in there to be forgotten. In the second drawer was more junk, and a little black box. She picked this up and opened it. Inside were the tools needed for an experienced drug user. She frowned a bit, her suspicions finally confirmed. The brunette put that away and searched the third drawer. Various IDs and passports were in this one. She began looking through a few them, men and women of different ages from different countries. She theorized about where these people were now. Had they been sold off to the highest bidder in some third world country or were they in a mass grave pit with God knew how many other bodies?

Something told her to pull the drawer out completely and look inside. If she were to hide something in a room so open, it would be a the bottom of the filing cabinet. Sure enough, at the bottom was a dark brown, leather bound journal, no doubt secretly stashed by Vaas. Now why would he have a journal? He didn't seem the type to scribble out his thoughts. Kendra grabbed it and sat down on the floor. When she cracked it open, she could tell it was a hand-made journal. It had definitely seen better days. On the first page the words 'Property of Vaas Montenegro' were proudly written in. The entries were in Spanish which didn't surprise her too much but it made her question whether or not Vaas had actually been born on this island or if he came here when he was just a wee child.

Thankfully, Kendra knew Spanish and could easily read the entries. She began with the first one. Apparently Vaas was ten when he started writing in the journal. A man named Jalak, the Rakyat elder at the time, had suggested the boy write down his thoughts as a way to clear his mind. Reading things from a ten year old Vaas, compared to what kind of man he was today, actually made her smile. He was so normal then. So full of life and ambition, eager to please and become the best of the Rakyat. His entries filled the journal from front to back, no page was left unmarked. He spoke about his sister and his people, about exploring the island and its ruins, and what he had to do to prove himself a worthy Rakyat. He trained for many years, unwavering in his determination, until he hit the age of about seventeen. Vaas got fed up with the training day in and day out. His freedom was limited and time to himself was sparse. The idea of becoming the leader of the Rakyat become overbearing and felt more like a curse than a blessing. So he did what any teenager would do when they thought the world to be unfair, he packed his bags and left the village. He had plans to work amongst the villagers made up of outsiders and get a job working on the boats, something normal.

He did that for about a year and everything quite _nice_. It was a word he used lightly but evidently it was better than being with the Rakyat. The island was poor to begin with, despite its beauty. It had been exploited for many generations by outsiders who raped the land of its resources. There was very little left of it that was worth the effort. People stayed and survived here because there was nowhere else to go. Boats usually brought in fish and other supplies, two doctors came to study the flora and fauna, and a few explorers came in to find the Rakyat ruins and had paid Vaas some money when he volunteered as a guide. One day, a boat brought in something entirely different to the island. It brought in Hoyt Volker, the start of the Rook Island slave and drug traffic ring. He was in his early 30s at this time. He was charismatic, confident, and intelligent with a good business head on his shoulders.

Vaas immediately offered to be this man's guide and perhaps get to know him better. He thought Volker was the guy to get him off this island and out there in the world of endless possibilities. However, Volker had other plans. He had been out there in the world and a secluded island like this was just the place he needed for his business. With Vaas as his guide, he began asking the boy questions about all the islands and its inhabitants. The young, naive boy told him everything, including the Rakyat, but he didn't include a whole lot of detail about them. Even with the little bit of information Volker had, he decided he did not like the natives. The outsiders here were fine, it was just a business to them, but the others, well he would have to do something about them.

The journal entries went on, singing Volker's praises and how Vaas had started to admire him. Volker had been there a week and decided to hire Vaas as an errand boy. As the year went on and the South African began sinking in his teeth, he began to rely on Vaas for more and more things. First it was just getting supplies, which soon became making deliveries, then he began moving crates around the base camp that contained weapons and drugs. When Vaas finally questioned the man about it, Volker let him in on what he had planned for the island. That's when he offered Vaas the position of his right hand man. He began to spin a web of deceit about how Vaas would obtain so much power and wealth, and he would truly be king of Rook Island. All he had to do was work for Volker and do as he said. As an insurance policy, Volker immediately introduced him to drugs and showed the boy just how incredible he could feel with them. Vaas bought into all of it, playing right into the businessman's hand.

The first time Volker had him kill someone, it came somewhat easy. He only thought about it for a few seconds before pulling trigger. The first time he had actually killed someone was for Citra. A fellow warrior had dishonored her and she requested that Vaas challenge him and he did. He won, too. Citra was never dishonored again. The Rakyat looked to Vaas as one of their best, fearless and strong. This helped him tremendously when he started working for the outsider. The Rakyat were furious, of course, especially Citra. After years of very little contact she had requested a meeting with him. She had every intention of just trying to get her brother to come back into the fold, to retake his place and become their leader. Ever since he left, the people looked to Citra instead since she was of the same blood.

Vaas had made it very clear to his sister that he would not be returning. Through Volker, he could rule the whole island, not just the Rakyat. Citra was furious and had called him a traitor to his people. Without even thinking, she pulled out her knife and tried to smash it through his skull. She missed; however, she left a reminder of that encounter. The woman could see the murderous rage burning within his emerald hues as blood slid over the side of his head. She bolted in fear for her life before Vaas could retaliate.

The journal entries stopped after that. Vaas hadn't bothered to replace the paper and continue writing. Kendra had a pretty good idea of what happened from then on. He began to descend further and further into Volker's dark little world. He was young and impressionable, manipulated and drugged up, no one could really blame him for how he turned out. In any case, he could have always said 'no' like he did to the Rakyat and just pay someone to take him from the islands. That would never happen, though. His dependency on Volker's drugs kept him there and Volker knew it would. That's why he introduced Vaas to them. The kid was smart and clever, he could tell that much from the beginning. He wanted to harness it without it biting him in the ass. And so it went on like that for years. Vaas got more and more comfortable with the job description until he became what he is now.

Kendra closed the journal with that revelation deeply embedded in her. She just gained a whole new perspective on the matters at hand and it drastically affected whatever plans she was making. It suddenly made sense to turn Vaas against Darius. Helping him would essentially help her, especially if she could turn him back to the Rakyat. That was going to be an impossible task in of itself but she was a determined individual. When she got it in her mind to do something, she was steadfast about it.

A moment later, Vaas's booming voice just outside broke the reverie she was in. The brunette quickly put the journal back along with the drawer that hid it and made her way to the door. She poked her head outside and saw that he had returned with more hostages. This made her believe that they were originally brought in from the south island and then further 'processed' here by Vaas. He glanced her way for a moment before attending to the unlucky souls. There was that unsettling feeling again. It was David had said at the beginning of this little escapade. She had gone down a rabbit hole. Things would never be the same if she ever got out.

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**A/N:** Kay so _things_ start happening after this ~

Lawd, there are so many reviews, so shout out to all of you and your support! It definitely keeps me motivated! Also, just note that everything I write is for a reason, it may seem arbitrary because initially it's out of context until a later chapter. Like The C Boys was originally for shits and giggles but then it dawned on me that Chris and Charlie reeking havoc outside the camp is gonna affect Vaas which in turn will affect Kendra and possibly throw a monkey wrench into her plans of escape. I haven't thought that far ahead, but yes, everything has a reason behind it. I know ya'll wanna see some drama. So be warned...there may be feels in the next chapter. Merherher.

Love, Punch and Cap'n Crunch.

PS - There are people from 36 different countries reading this. Holy shit perspective, Batman! I lurve you all.


	12. Chapter 10 - The Measure of A Man

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

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**Chapter 10 -The Measure of A Man  
**

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_"A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick." - Of Mice and Men_

Five days had passed and slowly but surely Vaas began to allow Kendra to wander the camp. However, she still had to wordlessly put up with his 'daily tortures' with Peter. Of course, she didn't enjoy it; there were some things that she just couldn't stomach. She would walk away to the jungle and throw up breakfast. The first time it happened, Vaas came over and held her hair back like he was doing her a favor when honestly the woman was better off not bearing witness to it. Vaas knew what he was doing though. He thought it was going to make her stronger. Again, there was his skewed sense of what it meant to be strong.

It was tough being out in the open instead of staying in the relative security of the hut. In that glorified metal box, she didn't have to see the new hostages in their cages, or hear their screams, or watch Vaas and the others 'take care of the rejects', or get ogled by the pirates. The hut was a veritable safe haven and the world outside was just plain mad. She didn't like it out there, but she went anyways to keep up appearances, because that's what it meant to be strong. Physical trauma came a dime a dozen, torture involved an unwilling participant, but to suck it up everyday and willingly face those demons because you were trying to make things better - Well, that's the sort of thing that made or broke a person.

Kendra thought she would snap by the-...God how many days has it been? She couldn't remember. She flipped back through her journal and counted. It had been just been two weeks and three days. It seemed a lot longer. Last night seemed like the longest night too. The brunette had been laying in her bed, staring at the texture of the wall. Her and Vaas got into a fight and things almost went the wrong way. She was still shocked by what started it and she clearly remembered Vaas trying to rape her. She was out in the main room, brushing her hair to put in a braid when when she heard Vaas's heavy boots stomp into the hut. She dreaded it, thinking she would have to hear his bullshit philosophy again. When she looked over to face him, she could see that he was extremely angry. Panic shot through her for a moment as he neared her. "Is there something you wanna tell me, hermana?"

Kendra hesitated, "No?"

In a flash he had backhanded her straight across the face, the force of it sending her to the floor, "Don't you lie to me you bitch!"

The woman grasped her throbbing face, her lip split and now bleeding. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Vaas roughly grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. "You tryna piss on my sunshine with your little bullshit friends?!" He practically flung her at the desk. She collided with it and everything that was on the surface had gone flying through the air. Tears burned in her eyes as she frantically looked for a heavy object.

"What are you talking about?!" Kendra demanded, moving away from Vaas.

"I don't know who it is, but some little cocksucker is out there killing my fucking men! Now I know it's not those villager fucks. It's one of those stupid ass white boys, one of yours."

Kendra fiercely shook her head, "No, no. They're all dead. You fucking killed them!"

Vaas grabbed the chair in his way and tossed it aside, stalking closer to the woman, "Charlie's not dead! I had that motherfucker at the beach. Is it him, huh? You had some grand plan to fuck me over?"

The woman stared at him disbelieving, "C-Charlie? He's still alive?"

Vaas was fed up, thinking she was bullshitting him like so many people had in the past. He grabbed her by the strap of her tank and tossed her into the bunk. The strap broke under the strain, leaving a shoulder exposed. He got on top of her and began ripping the rest of her shirt away, "I'll teach you what I do to liars. What I do with you stupid whores!"

Kendra screamed out and struggled against him, trying to push him away. Her act of defiance was met with a punch to the gut. As he tore her shirt off, her blue eyes began searching for that heavy object again. She could feel his calloused hands unclasping her belt as she continued to struggle. She finally found a half empty wine bottle just on the side of the bunk and grabbed it. Without hesitation, she smashed it against his face which immediately made him withdraw. With every ounce of power she had, she pushed him off of her and ran for his gun table. The brunette quickly grabbed a 9mm pistol, pulled the hammer back and aimed for him as he came near her. There was a resounding -click- as she fired the weapon. No bullets. Vaas grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. "Do you think I'd be stupid enough to have a loaded gun in here?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know. I didn't know! You took Charlie away okay! How could I plan anything if I thought he was dead?!" She was practically begging at this point, tears streaming down her face, nails digging into the arm that had her pinned to the wall. Vaas was still fuming, a new gash on the temple, blood and wine intermingling as it slid down his face. He let go of her and she slid to the floor as he stalked out of the hut. All Kendra could do was sob now. Just cry out all her emotions, misery, and fury. This island and that man had put her through so much hell. That feeling of hopelessness came back in full force. She was going to die here.

* * *

Some time later, she managed to crawl back into her room, which had became somewhat a place of safety for her. She put on a new shirt and just collapsed into the bed. She didn't care about the tears or the blood. As she stared at that wall, she could hear a woman screaming for help outside and the sounds of men laughing. She heard Vaas's all too familiar holler. The woman wanted to do something but knew she couldn't. He was taking his anger out on someone else. Some poor girl who had done nothing wrong. She would get passed around like some two-bit whore. Kendra wanted to vomit, she wanted to scream or punch the wall, something! She was boiling with anger now. Charlie was alive out there apparently doing some sort of damage. Vaas had lied yet again. Which was entirely hypocritical of him thinking she was the liar. She couldn't take it. It was consequences be damned right? Something inside her snapped. No more bullshit.

Kendra was immediately out of the bunk, fury in her eyes. She marched straight out of the hut, a purpose in her stride as she neared the main camp. One of the pirates wasn't paying attention. Kendra grabbed his side arm and cold cocked him with the butt end of it. She then made sure it was loaded and made her way to where Vaas and the others were with the girl. Kendra aimed for the pirate currently trying to mount the girl and shot him in the knee cap. When he turned, screaming out in pain, she shot him again in the meat of his arm. He quickly went down and the girl crawled away. It didn't kill him but it would certainly incapacitate him for a long time. Within seconds the barrel of her gun was pointed at Vaas's head, and the barrels of everyone else's was pointed at her. Vaas held a hand up before they could put her down. "Now I have a loaded gun."

Vaas smirked, arms crossed, "So I see...you're not gonna kill me, though."

"Maybe not but we weren't done in there. If you wanna take your anger out on someone to feel like a man, you still got me."

"You know you got some major fucking balls pointing that at me," He stated, daring to step closer, "I respect that." He was actually sincere. Most people he had met were such pussies. No one would ever try to threaten him or kill him, except the piss poor excuses for warriors that Citra kept sending. But here was Kendra, this woman with no ties to this island or the other hostages, trying to defend some stranger. Of course she knew if she tried to kill Vaas, his men would kill her, or he would kill her. He shook the thought from his head. She was smarter than that. She had no intention of killing him. She was just making a point the only way she knew how, the only way that registered on Vaas's radar - violence.

"Don't change the subject asshole. You lied to me about Charlie."

"Actually I didn't. I never said that was Charlie I shot, you just thought it was."

Kendra thought for a moment. What he said was true but she wasn't about to acknowledge that. "Regardless, we have some things to talk about."

"Oh I don't fuckin' think so."

"Oh, I do. After all, if I'm going to be here for God knows how long, and I have to put up with you and your bullshit, then why shouldn't I have a bit of fun, hm?"

Vaas looked at her stone cold. Was she really trying to start something in front of his men. This bitch was really starting to get under his skin. He gestured to the girl, "Take her back to her cage! The rest of you, fuck off." The pirates hesitated for a second but complied either way. Kendra lowered the gun and handed it to Vaas. He took the gun and then grasped Kendra's arm to lead her back to the hut. She thought she was making some headway but all Vaas did was put her in her room and lock the door. He easily ignored her yelling and banging on the door, all of which died down pretty quickly. Kendra plopped down on her bed, noticing the pain in her body for the first time. Nothing could be done about it, though. So she laid back and endured it until she fell asleep.

Vaas spent the night on the porch, smoking through a pack of cigarettes and wondering what the fuck he was doing with his life. He was still young after all, not even thirty yet. Could he really do this another twenty, thirty years? He didn't know. Everywhere he looked, he always saw something he wanted to destroy. That's what he was, a destroyer, a hurricane of chaos and death. He was a god here. It was paradise. He could do whatever he wanted for as long as he wanted. He could have anything. Even then, he felt like something was missing, like there was something he was supposed to be doing. The slave and drug business had been going for ten years now. How wasn't he bored to tears yet, doing the same thing day in and day out. Was it routine or was it insanity? _I'm not fucking crazy._

He lit up another cigarette and stared out into the night sky. There was no way he could live a normal life. Settle down, have a family, work a regular job. Fuck that. It may have been something he thought about before Hoyt showed him the seedy underground, but to do it now, after everything that's happened...**that** would be crazy. His mind lingered on the thought of Kendra. He really did take his anger out on her. Of course, she didn't know what was going on outside the camp. How could she? It really impressed him that even after the abuse she took, she still found the courage to march out into the camp and point a gun at him. Hell, she even shot one of his men. Fucking useless now. He started to get curious about her. The only person he ever had a decent conversation with was Hoyt and that was almost always business related. Vaas had clearly drawn the line in the sand with Darius. He wasn't doing that buddy buddy shit again.

Kendra, though, she was a different kind of outsider. Not to mention she was incredibly strange and oddly entertaining to him. She was scared shitless, but hid it well. She wasn't a pushover. She took a stand and looked death in the face, daring it to do something. She was smart and actually quite beautiful. The kicker was, despite her loathing for Vaas, she found him attractive and that just tickled the man pink. Really, it was like the cherry on top. He still needed to do something about it. Kendra managed to get under his skin on a regular basis, so it was about time for some payback. The thing to do now, was to apologize without apologizing. He didn't want her to be uncooperative...not yet anyways. He would break her eventually but in the meantime, he wanted to have some fun.

* * *

The next morning Kendra was awake, backed up against the wall in her bed and writing in her journal. She heard Vaas take the lock off her door and she just kept on writing. He entered and walked over to her but she ignored him, eyes focused on the words. She felt his weight on the bed and took a side glance to catch him putting a flower in her face. She looked up properly this time and eyed it. She gently took it from him with the smallest of smiles. "It's beautiful."

"You like it?" Vaas asked, feeling victorious.

Kendra nodded her head. It really was beautiful. It had a wonderful array of pinks, blues and purples that all bled together and met at the yellow pollinated center. "It's a lotus. Apparently it can only be found on Rook." He reached over and gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. This was becoming a habit of his. He lightly moved his thumb across the healing cut on her lower lip. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. He almost said the words 'I'm sorry'. They came so easily to mind and almost rolled right out of his mouth, but he stopped himself. Was he really? He could justify it, say she probably deserved it for some reason.

"Thank you." She stated. His brain short circuited for a milisecond. She knew it was hard for him. He probably hadn't apologized for many years. The flower was enough, though. She understood what it meant. However, it didn't detract from the fact that he was still an asshole. This was a lovely moment, yes but it wouldn't take long for it to be shattered. The thought to make it last longer came to mind and the brunette hopped on it, "Can you tell me...what your childhood was like? Growing up on the island I mean. Most kids these days grow up in concrete jungles, not the real thing. It must have been so different." _P__lease, please, please..._

Vaas hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should divulge any information. _What would it matter if you did?_ None of it was any harm. He did want to know more about her, so maybe he should play along and tell her what she wanted to know. With a sigh he released her face and leaned back against the wall. "My childhood...probably really boring compared to yours. Those fucking elders were training me since I got out of my mama's womb to be some super fuckin' warrior of the tribe, y'know? Like Rambo or some shit. I didn't have much of a life. I couldn't do what I wanted. So I said fuck it and left. I explored the jungles and the ruins for about a year. It made me a little sentimental but not enough to go back. I wanted to be my own man..."He trailed off, nostalgia coming to the forefront.

"And so...this Citra, your sister...she took your place?"

Vaas snorted and shook his head, "Ah, my sister is such a fucking whore. The Rakyat think she's some sort of goddess or whatever. Doesn't matter. One day I'll put a bullet through her head. Then what will they do?"

Kendra chewed on her lip and immediately regretted that decision because of the cut. She winced and readjusted her position on the bed, "Silly question, but why won't you go back? Things are different now aren't they? What would have happened if Darius never came here?"

Vaas looked her in the eyes that time. He thought about it for a moment and shrugged, "I dunno. Darius...shit, I didn't know Darius existed. His brother came here originally and got this business started. After he was killed by some asshole from California, well...I was just gonna chill."

"So you weren't going to continue with all this?"

"I don't have the same, uh, rapport as Hoyt did. His buyers would have pulled out anyway."

"I think you'd be better off as a Rakyat again."

"You don't know shit."

"I do actually. I know what's it like to be surrounded by people who are always expecting something of you. Who want you to do something or be somebody you have no desire to be. I had to live with that for years. My parents wanted me to marry this guy who was older than me because he had money and he was well connected. That's where I drew the line. I left and I went to college. I didn't speak to my parents again for six years. Then I decided to open up to them again and told them what I was doing with my life. They were oh, so disappointed...I stopped talking to them again."

"So you're doing what you wanted," Vaas replied, giving her a knowing smirk.

"Sure. Are you?"

Man, this woman really made him think. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not. On the one hand, he did like his freedom to do anything or fuck all on the island, on the other hand, it could be really boring if the hostages weren't exactly _wily_ or anything. If they didn't fight back, if they just sat there and whimpered and begged, they weren't worth his time or effort. He **hated** that. Yet Kendra and her rat pack had proved to be entertaining. Sure, he was pissed about Charlie running around causing chaos like Jason had, but in a way, he missed a good hunt. Then here was Kendra who defied him and asked questions. She didn't whimper and beg for her life. She fought back and only cried in pain and begged for the life of others. Damn, he really did respect that. He didn't think he would ever find someone like that. Vaas suddenly remembered that she had asked him a question, which he chose to ignore for now. He glanced at her journal and furrowed his brows. "What the fuck is that chicken scratch?"

"Latin."

"You write in Latin?"

Kendra nodded, "I like it better this way." Easily lying about the reason why she wrote in Latin.

Vaas released a 'hm' sound and lifted himself off the bed. "C'mon hermana, it's time for breakfast."

The woman snapped her journal shut and put it aside, "I have a request."

"Oh my God, first questions, now a request? You're really fucking pushin' it you know."

"I just want to finish my work here. I want to explore the ruins."

Vaas almost gawked at her. That was one hell of a request he was sure he didn't have the resources for. "Did you get dropped on your head or something? There is no way I'm gonna let you frolic through the fucking jungle looking at a bunch of bullshit temples."

"You can send some of your men with me-" She started.

"For what? To guard you while you do...whatever it is you do? Just stand around like a bunch of useless cocksuckers? No. Why the hell would I do that?"

"You could be nice for once. I'm not asking for much," Kendra retorted, getting to her feet. Her muscles were stiff and protesting against the movement but she made herself go either way.

Vaas just guffawed at the woman and shook his head as he exited her room, "You're a real piece of work."

"Oh, I'm glad I'm being so fucking entertaining. C'mon, Vaas! You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

He turned and faced her, backing out of the doorway to the shanty, "This isn't some tit for tat thing. You do as I say, or I put you in a hole. Sure killing you doesn't exactly scare you, but-" He stopped and stroked her face, "I can do it real slow. I can make you hurt and then you'll be begging me to kill you. I've done it before. I know the look people get in their eyes as the last flicker of hope fades from them." He grinned and held his arms up high. "ALL HOPE ABANDON, YE WHO ENTER HERE! Through me you pass into the city of woe. Through me you pass into eternal pain. Through me among the people lost for aye. This place...this place is Dante's Inferno, okay. I'm the devil you meet at the very fucking bottom. What I say goes. Understand?"

Kendra nodded in acquiescence, feeling defeated yet again. Every time she thought she was making progress, Vaas would just burn down another bridge. It half surprised her and half didn't that he would quote A Divine Comedy. He did have the book in his hut after all. It was interesting, though, how Vaas had applied the analogy to himself. At the ninth circle of hell, the Devil was there, and he was a terrifying beast with three heads and six wings. He was waist deep in ice and every time he flapped his wings to try and escape, the icy wind would just ensure his imprisonment. That, in effect, also kept everyone else trapped there. He also chewed on the bodies of the worst of traitors. Did Vaas believe himself to be trapped on this island and whatever he tried to do backfired on him? Were the hostages the traitors he chewed for all eternity. It certainly gave the brunette a different perspective once again.

Regardless of his god among ants mantra, she wouldn't give up on trying to do her job. It was honestly the only thing she had going for her here. Not to mention, learning more about the Rakyat would most likely help her in escaping...and perhaps helping Vaas to see the light again. If Darius hadn't picked up the pieces, things would have been drastically different. She would keep asking questions and keep making requests until the man caved. She could be very persuasive. Really, it was more about a matter of time and circumstance. So she had to wait and wait she would.

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**A/N: **That took longer than it should have. Anywho, imma go ahead and work on the next chapter in which Kendra _finally _starts her little manipulation scheme and...something else I haven't thought of yet, but it'll come and it'll be interesting to say the least.

**Reviews:**

I will most likely do a chapter (or two) dedicated solely to Vaas and his upbringing to give us a little more perspective on his personality. So Citra might make an appearance and how much of an effect she's had on him. Some of you are wanting it to be possible for him to love again and I do think there is that chance but it won't be easy getting there, yanno. So Kendra has a lot of work ahead of her as well as a lot of setbacks (a few of them via Chris and Charlie). I know what I want the endgame of this story to be but everything between this point and there is a little fuzzy in my head. I will get it sorted, though. Hope you guys are still enjoying this!

**Guest** 1/3/13 . chapter 6

You have done something that even the writers of Far Cry 3 could not do... you have made me not hate Vaas. The way you write him, he has a certain flair and its really cool. It is hard to make a pirate and human trafficker like Vaas likeable, but you sir, have done it.

~ This just really stuck out to me. I have no words. I'm still floored and humbled by the fact that people like Vaas and the way I've written him when I just sit here and think "Well, this is shit." But I've been told 'your best writing is usually when you think it's terrible. If you think it's great, you probably did something wrong.' Food for thought for any other writers out there in the same position.


	13. Chapter 11 - Business As Usual

**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

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**Chapter 11 - Business As Usual  
**

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_"To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.__" - Edgar Allan Poe_

Two days after the incident between Vaas and Kendra, the former had gone back to the south island to talk business with Darius Volker. The new pack of hostages had been processed, sold, and the rejects dealt with in a rather orderly fashion. Vaas had been doing this for so long that he was starting to make quick work out of every unlucky soul that passed his way. Vaas and his pirate cohorts had their fun from time to time, picking a man or two from the rejects to hunt down like it was game season. Darius, of course, didn't much care for what Vaas did with the rejects, so long as they were disposed of. He spent the majority of his time on the south island handling sells with his contacts, whether it be people or drugs. He was even slowly moving into the arms business. Darius was becoming more powerful than his brother and Vaas was becoming less certain that he could trust the outsider.

"Everyone's expendable, Vaas. After all, it's just a business," Darius had once so memorably said.

Vaas had secretly feared his becoming obsolete. Kendra had questioned twice already why he worked with such a man. The idea began to seep further into the recesses of his mind. Maybe he could take over and truly rule Rook Island once and for all. Not just the northern parts, but all of them. He could kill Citra and Darius and his reign would be complete. The nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him that he had tried once before and failed oh so miserably. He didn't remember any of it. Perhaps he fantasized about it, once too often.

When the pirate arrived at the compound, Volker was currently throwing well aimed knives into a portrait of his latest enemy. That list seemed to have been growing lately. Volker had to step on some toes in order to expand. It came with the territory. Vaas entered the office, eying the picture before turning green orbs to Darius. The elder man, who was starting to grow a full fledged beard turned in his chair and gave Vaas an amicable smile. "It's good to see you bru. I take it you did a job well done with our newest quarry?"

Vaas nodded in agreement and took a seat opposite his partner in crime, "Of course. It went pretty fuckin' smoothly."

Darius nodded approvingly, "And how's...our little explorer?" He smirked slyly figuring that Vaas had already taken advantage of her six ways to Sunday. That's usually what he did.

Vaas decided to be careful here. Technically, it wasn't a good idea to let Kendra wander the camp not because she might escape but because Darius could make a surprise visit. Then the shit would really hit the fan. "Oh she's as good as one can be."

"I trust she's not going to be a problem for us any time soon, correct?"

The native shook his head, "No, 'course not."

"You know I'm just trying to avoid another incident that led to the death of my brother, right?" Volker inquired, looking intently upon Vaas's face, fingers interlaced in front of him. He knew he was striking a cord. He had always been the type to play with the cobras.

_Now why the fuck did he have to bring that up?_ He already got his ass chewed out when Darius first arrived to Rook. Needless to say their relationship was still rather tentative nearly five months later. Vaas forced a smile and slowly nodded his head, "Of course, hermano."

"Of course...so what are these rumors I here then, hm? About some Rambo fuck out there helping the natives."

"Nothing me or mine can't handle, alright." Vaas was starting to get defensive, he could feel it. He had to keep his anger in check around Darius, but even all of that man's power and prestige couldn't sway Vaas from his violent tendencies. Sometimes he wanted nothing more than to break the white boy's nose. "Don't worry about it."

"I think I have reason to worry. You'd be surprised at what one man can accomplish." He sat back with a chuckle and held out his arms, looking about the room. "One man accomplished all this. But you know what they say, the higher they are, the harder and faster they fall. Wouldn't you say that's happened already?" He leaned forward again, "I don't plan on fallin' Vaas. Do you understand? This whole operation as it stands is a healthy body and if something gets sick, if something goes terribly rotten...we need to cut out the unhealthy parts for the good of the body. Your part isn't sick, right? You've been doing so well all these years..."

The Rakyat pirate twitched ever so slightly. He knew Darius was accusing him of failure, or at least hinting at it. If he didn't get control of whatever Charlie was doing there would be hell to pay. "We're a hundred and ten percent, boss." The two stared at each other a few seconds, before Darius finally let out a short laugh and rose from his chair. Vaas got up as well and followed Darius to a window that overlooked the shipping yard, the one that was built by Hoyt all those years ago. It was a magnificent sight given the island backdrop. It was the only thing starkly different from the rest of Rook's settlements.

A large cargo ship was anchored at the dock, Darius's little soldiers were unloading its supplies; humans, drugs, weapons, etc. As far as the eye could see in this fortified compound were just throngs of men going about their specified jobs. It was obvious Darius ran a tighter ship than Hoyt. Unlike his late brother, he didn't 'test' his own product. He couldn't afford the distractions. Perhaps that's what made Hoyt way more amicable than his little brother. That was Vaas's opinion. Hoyt was a little more unhinged, though. That could have easily been the drugs or perhaps a psychosis...or both. Vaas shook the thought from his head, he didn't want to dwell on it. He just wanted to do what he was paid for and keep as far away from Darius as possible. The South African tended to upset him far too often for anyone's good. He abruptly excused himself before any other words could be exchanged. Darius looked after him, a devious glint in his eye. He didn't trust that druggie little prick.

Back at the camp, the pirate was absolutely fuming. Kendra was once again, sitting in the main room when Vaas stomped in. "THAT MOTHERFUCKER! Tryna start some shit with me. You gotta do this Vaas, you gotta that Vaas, don't fuck up Vaas!" He paced back and forth, flailing his arms for emphasis. The brunette just stared at him a bit bewildered by this outburst. "I can't fucking stand that white boy asshole. I wish Hoyt hadn't died; then I wouldn't have to deal with this cocksucker!" He finally sat down in a chair not too far from Kendra. He crossed his arms across his chest as usual and just continued to sit there and stew. He felt like a five year old who just got scolded. In fact, he felt like he was back with the Rakyat. He wanted to get away from people who told him what to do.

Kendra cautiously rose from her seat and walked over to Vaas. How the hell was she going to pull this off? She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to think of some consoling words. "You're absolutely right." She heard herself say. Vaas rose a brow and glanced at her hand. "Darius is a little prick. What does he know? You've been in this operation far longer than he has. If anyone was set to inherit it...well, that person would be you."

Vaas looked up at her, "You really think so?"

She smirked and nodded, "Of course! And I'm not just saying this to make you feel better. It's true. You know the ends and outs, the people, the island. What does Darius know? Sure he has a little business know how and he picked up Hoyt's contacts, but he doesn't know Rook like you do. He doesn't know fear and pain like you do." Kendra felt like she was going to regret this. It was best to play this as naturally as possible or Vaas would suspect something. She removed her hand from his shoulder and sat down on the bed opposite him so she could look him in the eyes. "On the other hand, he has an army. I highly doubt they're loyal to him, though. They're soldiers of fortune after all. As long as they get paid, they'll do whatever Darius wants."

Vaas released an exasperated sigh and shook his head. He then raked his finger nails across the bare sides of his scalp in frustration. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Kill him?"

"Don't be so forward. All in due time...I take you're not exactly in his good graces?" Vaas shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "Right, well you'll have to be."

Vaas sat up and looked at her like she was crazy, "Are you kidding me?"

"No. It's very simple...make a small power play. A show of dominance."

"I do that and he's gonna rain a shit storm on my ass! He doesn't like us natives and we don't like outsiders. Why the fuck we're even working together...I don't know."

Kendra rose her hands up defensively, "Now, now, that's exactly what you need. Citra's a native...and you have mentioned wanting to kill her before..."

Vaas eyed the brunette closely now. He was intrigued about where she was going with this but also slightly wary that she was even trying to help. She wasn't developing that Stockholm thing was she? "Go on," He said, testing the waters.

"Well...why not make good on your word? You're essentially killing two birds with one stone that way. No more Citra, then you don't have to worry about the Rakyat and then Darius won't have to worry about them either."

The room was deathly silent. Vaas didn't know how to respond to her little scheme. He had been wanting to kill his sister for a long time now. There was no doubt about that. He just never got around to it. He reached over to his desk and grabbed his crumpled up pack of cigarettes. There was one left which he promptly lit up. Once he deeply inhaled a lung full of nicotine, he finally answered, "I could do that. Won't be easy, though. Can't exactly storm sacred grounds can I?"

It was Kendra's turn to gaze at him inquisitively, "Are you being serious? You consider Rakyat grounds sacred?"

"Of course. I may not be Rakyat anymore nor do I want anything to do with them, but there are rules that even I won't break. If I go against Citra, it has to be warrior to warrior, yanno?"

Kendra was now very perplexed by Vaas. He didn't seem to contradict himself though. For someone who didn't profess to be Rakyat anymore, he sure did act like one of them. And why shouldn't he? He was born into after all. His respecting his ancestors was probably why he still refused to let her near the ruins. Interestingly enough, none of them that her and her team encountered had been desecrated. So maybe there was hope for the man yet. This made the brunette scheme even more. If she could get Vaas to reclaim his place amongst his people, perhaps that would help him regain control of the island and get rid of Volker. The South African was, of course, one of the major problems that needed to be dealt with. For some reason, the brunette was still convinced that she could help Vaas. Why on Earth she was bothering to try wasn't quite registering. Again, it's not like she had anything better to do. Besides, if she kept Vaas busy with something other than herself, perhaps he would be less inclined to try and 'break her'.

"So is that why I can't visit the ruins? Are you afraid I won't respect them?"

Vaas shook his head, "No. You're an outsider."

Kendra rolled her eyes, "So I've been told. Another one of those _rules_ I take it?"

Vaas nodded and took a long drag on his cigarette, the toxic ingredients calming his nerves.

"Can we break that one? You're denying me one of life's greatest pleasures."

The man smirked lecherously and leaned forward, "I thought that was sex."

"Maybe for you, but for me it's discovery."

"Oh, I could show you a discovery or three," He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Kendra had to fight to hold back a smile. Was he just casually flirting with her now? His erratic mood swings shouldn't surprise her anymore and yet somehow they always did. There was the tiniest voice in the back of her head that wanted to accept his offer, but logic won the argument. The woman simply sighed and brushed the heel of her boot across the floor. She then looked up at Vaas with puppy dog eyes. This tactic always worked on her brother and that son of a bitch was a Navy Seal.

Vaas sat back and shook his head, "Oh, no. You don't even try that shit with me, hermana." He rose from his chair and headed for the filing cabinet, looking for another pack of smokes.

"Oh c'mon Vaas. It's not like I'm going to bring about a curse or something. I've already spent three nights at the ruins before."

"Ah, see, that's how it starts out. All nice and innocent, write a few notes, take some pictures and before you know it, you go all Indiana Jones and you got the whole Rakyat tribe running after you." When he finally found his new pack, he took them out with a wee bit of joy and cracked them open.

"I can promise you that won't happen."

"Oh really? You just came here...why, exactly?" He replied, reclaiming his chair.

Kendra thought about it for a moment. She probably shouldn't mention the artifact she was originally after. "No one has ever heard of the Rakyat save one man, who came here two hundred years ago and did some extensive research-"

"Yah, Francisco Castillo."

"...You know?"

"All the Rakyat know about that fucker. We like people not knowing about us and he almost blew it."

"I see..."

"But maybe...I can make an exception...cause it's not like you're going anywhere," he stated, stamping out the cigarette bud in a makeshift ashtray and then quickly lighting another. He offered her a knowing smile, just reminding her that he had no intention of letting her leave this little island of his. Little did he know that she was beginning to play him like a fiddle and soon enough he'd be doing the same to her.

Kendra smirked a bit, satisfied that he was finally caving in for once. "Really?"

"Yep! You gotta do something for me, though."

Of course there was a catch, "And what would that be?" She inquired reluctantly.

"See if you can find something I can use against my sister. She knows all about the ruins and what they have to say. It's how she got so much power so fast."

"I can try but I don't know what some of the glyphs mean-"

"I do. I can help you with that. See this was something I was supposed to know. It was supposed to be passed down to me by the elder when I took over, but since I left, he passed it to Citra. While I want nothing to do with them, I do want to know what the hell they've been up to out there."

Kendra just nodded her head in response, questioning whether or not this turn of events was really taking place. _Of course it is, don't be an idiot. _  
But there had to be another catch right? It didn't seem to come. So the woman lifted herself off the bed and turned to head into her room, "Hey...give me a kiss goodnight." And there it was. He couldn't see it with her back turned, but Kendra was grinding her teeth. When she turned around, a more pleasant expression was plastered across her face. She walked over to Vaas and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. However, he turned to face her, green eyes meeting blue ones expectantly. Kendra was clearly not as amused as he was. She breathed deep and laid a kiss on his lips. "Mmm, you taste bittersweet. Maybe one day you'll taste like honey."

Kendra purposely stared daggers into him before walking away and finally into her room. Once the door was closed, she was quick to wipe her mouth with the back of hand. She didn't enjoy the smell of liquor and nicotine on him. She willed her mind to settle on the fact that she was finally going to get back to studying the ruins. At least something good was coming out of this fucked up little sojourn.

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**A/N: **I haaate having to write tie-in chapters before I get to the good shit. It's always so hard. Anywho, next chapter will hopefully be up this weekend and we'll explore the _intricacies_ of Vaas's and Citra's relationship~


	14. Chapter 12 - The Heart of a Tiger

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

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**Chapter 12 - The Heart of a Tiger  
**

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_"The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" - Edgar Allan Poe_

The smell of blood filled the room. It was sweet and coppery at the same time, mixing with the smells of the jungle outside. It was dark and dank and made of terrible things. No good came from this place. People were brought here to die in the worst of ways; The least worthy of the victims. One such victim was here now struggling against his restraints. Hot tears escaped the confines of his blindfold and streamed down his already damp and dirty face. He whimpered and pleaded. He just wanted to go home. That would never happen, though, for the notorious Vaas was his captor.

"Why do you assholes keep coming here, hm? Don't you know I'm here?" His voice was sharp through the darkness. The hostage could hear his heavy footfalls walking across the cement floor. The man was terrified. He couldn't see what was happening or who was talking. It was the fear of the unknown that had gripped him the most. _"Please."_

"Shut the fuck up hermano." Vaas instructed as he sat upon the edge of a table across from the man. "Those bitches of yours are worth a lot of money but you and your other friends, not so fucking much. I don't like to waste bullets, you know. Ha, sometimes I do but other times-" He moved forward and removed the man's blindfold so he could have a good look at the man that would kill him, "Other times I like to play." He smirked before moving away and walking around to the other side of the table.

The hostage could finally see what was ahead of him for the night. Upon the table were tools and knives used for a nightmarish surgery - Vaas's little toys. He liked to study human anatomy after all. The hostage had a good idea of what was going to happen and so he struggled some more, vainly trying to free himself.

"Hey! Shhh, shhh. Don't worry about it, hermano. It's gonna be okay...for me, not for you. You're totally fucked." Vaas chuckled and tugged a bit on his earlobe, "Have you ever seen a tiger? And I don't mean at the fuckin' zoo, okay. I mean out in the wild where they know who they are. I killed a tiger once; with my bare hands. I was a kid too. My people...they made a big fucking deal out of it. For good reason too. How many little kids do you know of killing tigers with their bare hands, huh?" He reached forward and grabbed a scalpel, skillfully twirling it between his fingers.

The hostage blinked away the tears that were stinging his reddening eyes. He sniffled quite pitifully and shook his head. What else was there that he could do?

Vaas quickly grabbed a chair and sat in it so he could rest his upper chest across the back of it. The scalpel dangled precariously in his free hand. "Lemme tell you how that happened..."

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"Citra, wait!" Cried out a ten year old Vaas as he tried to catch up with his twin sister. The two were playing amongst the ruins, doing what children did best - causing mischief. They climbed to the top of the temple that was in the middle of their encampment to see who could get to the top first. Citra giggled out and waved to Vaas below as she continued to climb. The boy was only two feet below her, when one of the makeshift footholds she gripped onto had loosened and broke off, causing her to fall. Her brother was quick to catch her. She dangled for a few seconds while Vaas tried his best to pull her up. The two of them were a few stories off the ground. Falling would ensure a swift death. Once Citra had regained a hold on the temple's side, she offered Vaas a sweet smile. "Thank you Vaas."

The near death experience didn't deter them from their little race. They continued climbing to the very top and observed the beauty of Rook Island. People who did not know the history of this island would never know that it had been thoroughly tainted by outsiders. It was still a breath taking sight to behold but the natives who did not live off the land were struggling. The Rakyat would not help them. They would trade from time to time for different supplies but the tatu-ed warriors were never left wanting. They were too busy ensuring their survival through their next leader; the adventurous child named Vaas. Little did he know that in just a few days, the village elders would send him out into the jungle to become a man. These elders had spent the past six years teaching the little boy about the history of their people as well as basic skills like reading, writing, mathematics and even a little bit of science. He was growing up to be a well rounded boy, but that was just the thing, he was a _boy_. Children had such short attention spans.

Vaas was an earnest child, though, always eager to please. He didn't mind all the learning. He actually thought it was quite fun. Sometimes he would come home and excitedly tell Citra about everything he had been taught that day. The two siblings were incredibly close. They looked after each other, as siblings should. That would change, however. For Vaas was male and was to be a warrior, Citra was female and had to become the wife of one the strongest warriors in the tribe. The two were destined for different paths and were prepared accordingly.

When the time came for Vaas to go out into the jungle, he was terrified. Nevertheless, he didn't let it show. He kept on a mask of bravery as the elders handed him some provisions; a hunting knife, a leather sack, and three days worth of water. _"He's too young." _His mother would plead. _"Not for our new leader he's not."_ The elders would answer. They had every confidence in the young boy and for good reason too. Vaas took his supplies and walked into the jungle without looking back like so many of the other boys had. He had to survive until the end of one week and he had to bring back the heart of a pig. That was the first test of many.

The boy went the first night hungry and cold, falling into a light slumber with the sounds of the jungle's wildlife all around him. He dreamt of his mother and sister. The next morning, he fashioned himself a sling and killed a bird. It took him thirty minutes to start a fire and another thirty to cook the bird. He couldn't help but be a bit frustrated with himself. Nonetheless, he persevered. By day three, he had been munching on a variety of jungle fruits as countless wild chicken and pigs had escaped his clutches. His water was running low by now. He would have to find a fresh source soon.

The boy had taken up talking to the jungle, as if it could answer back. It was how he kept company and kept from feeling scared whenever he heard an odd noise or felt horribly alone. He awfully good conversations with the jungle. It would tell him where to go and what to look for. By the morning of day four, he had finally found a river that contained fresh water. Just in time too since he ran out the night before. He knew he didn't have much time left and the heart of a pig had still eluded him. The wild pigs of the jungle were quite different from those kept in pens. They were large, fast and cunning, even fearless enough to charge an attacker. With Vaas being as small as he was, an adult pig could easily trample him over.

By the sixth day, Vaas was quite beside himself with frustration. He did not want to let his people down by not being able to perform such a simple task. He had set it in his mind that he would not return until he obtained his goal. It didn't matter to him if it took longer than seven days. He would be a true Rakyat like his father and his father before him. He would earn his tatus.

As he ventured further into the jungle, the air got thicker and more humid. It was more alive with the sounds of various animals the deeper he went. The animals got dangerous in these parts. In particular, the tiger was an imminent threat. Little did Vaas know that he been trekking across the jungle cat's territory. Nor did he know that it was stalking him even now. Its blazing golden eyes followed the small child that looked more and more like dinner with every step he took.

As stealthily as it could, the tiger crept through the underbrush, getting ever closer to Vaas. The jungle had grown deathly silent then and the boy finally took notice. No birds, no monkeys, not even a stir of wind. He knew something was wrong. His heart began to race in anticipation. "Hello?" He called out. He thought the jungle would answer him this time. He was met, however, with the low growl of a tiger ready to attack. It burst through the foliage with a terrifying roar, lunging straight for Vaas. Without a moment's hesitation, he rolled to the side and nearly missed getting pounced by the five hundred pound creature. The boy then took off like a shot into the jungle, the tiger followed closely behind. Vaas could not hope to outrun the feline. It was impossible. So he took to climbing the nearest tree. Its branches were low enough for him to clamor up.

The tiger tried to ascend after him but couldn't climb as high. For the time being Vaas was safe. After many failed attempts to reach his evening meal, the tiger seemingly gave up and sauntered off into the jungle. The boy was scared to climb down though. He didn't know if the tiger was playing tricks or not.

After what seemed like hours, Vaas finally convinced himself to leave the safety of the tree. Green eyes were quick to look around. His ears strained to hear anything but all that met him were the normal sounds of the jungle. The danger was gone and so the other life returned.

The day had quickly turned into night as the boy made settled down for the night to make camp. He had become rather adept at making traps back in the village, so he made one not too far away so he could catch a rabbit. Which he did and a plump one at that. He was going to kill the furry creature. Give it a quick and painless death, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He sadly let it go and it gratefully hopped back out into the jungle. Vaas dejectedly sat by a piss poor excuse for a fire. This was a lot to handle for a ten year old. He wondered if the natives by the waters had to go through this. What was he missing out on?

He fell asleep, hungry and disappointed. However, he was woken up in the middle of the night by an all too familiar sound. He could hear the tiger's roar off in the distance. Vaas shot up, breathing heavy and ears pricked. He swallowed the lump in his throat and immediately got to his feet. His orange and white striped nightmare from earlier had returned. The boy quickly grabbed a flaming log and held it out with one hand whilst he held his dagger in the other. He wouldn't run up a tree this time.

* * *

"Oy, you listenin' hermano?" Vaas questioned, smacking the hostage across his face. He seemed to be drifting off into space and Vaas wasn't going to have any of that. The man had been looking away, sad and hungry. His hazel eyes were lifeless. This only made his captor _worried_. Vaas immediately stabbed the man in his leg, just missing a major artery. The man of course screamed out in pain and swore violently at Vaas.

"Fuck me, man, I thought you died or something, fucking cocksucker." Vaas answered, sitting back down in his chair. "Here I am tryna tell you a story and shit..."

The man just cried out, the pain in his leg burned like a fire through his nerves. "Hey be quiet, lemme focus. Oh yeah! So there I was facing this giant tiger-."

"Hey, Vaas!" A pirate interrupted bursting through the door.

"Oh my God. WHAT?! Can't you see I'm trying to tell a story here?"

"Sorry, Vaas but there's people! Like four skydivers."

Vaas remained silent for a moment, looking at the hostage then back at his lackey, "Really?" He smiled.

The pirate nodded with a smile of his own before running back outdoors. Vaas looked back at his audience, contemplating what to do. "Man, it's a really good story too. Tell you what. I'm gonna deal with these new pricks and then I come back and tell you the rest okay?" He smacked the hostage reassuringly on his leg where he had been stabbed earlier, causing the man to cry out again and struggle against his restraints.

"Atta boy!" With that, Vaas tossed the scalpel back on the table and hopped out of the seat. He then replaced the blindfold before heading out of the room himself to have a good look at those skydivers.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright note to self, I should never watch Pushing Daisies while sick because there is no way I can get in the stabby, swearing mood I need to be in to properly write Vaas. #Firstworldproblems. ANYWAYS. Hope you guys enjoyed it~

Sooo yeah, the next chapter will pick up with the tiger story and of course torture! FUUUN. I wanna explore Vaas a bit more before we get back to the Vaas/Kendra dynamic. You should all also be painfully aware that I'm leaving the States Tuesday to study abroad and it maaay take me a week to settle in. Hopefully I'll have a chapter or two posted within that time period. =]


	15. Chapter 13 - The Heart of a Tiger Pt 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 13 - The Heart of a Tiger Pt. 2**

* * *

"Hey, hey! Guess who's back?" Vaas exclaimed, literally bursting through the door of the rickety old shack. He ripped the blindfold away from his unfortunate victim with the stupidest grin. Apparently he had a good time with the skydivers. Dried blood was on his knuckles from where he broke one of their noses. He pulled his chair back up and sat down. "Sorry I took so long. Those cocksuckers put up a good fight. You want some water or something?" Vaas pulled a canteen from his belt and unscrewed the top before leaning over and giving the man a few sips. "Okay, Mark, right? Mark where was I?...Oh yeah! The fuckin' tiger. Okay, okay. So there I was..."

The tiger crept out of the bushes, making a slow approach, every stride was full of purpose and intent. He roared at the boy and he had to try hard not to flinch. His heart pounded in his chest as he started backing away. He waved his torch at the tiger to try and scare it away but this only made the creature angry. It lashed out at the fire and roared even more. The tiger leaned back on it haunches ready to jump. Vaas saw this and immediately banked to the left as the tiger dove for him. The torch tumbled away, catching the grass on fire. The boy still had a firm grip on the dagger.

The tiger skid to stop and turned to make another assault. Vaas was back on his feet in a hurry. As the tiger rushed him, he sliced at the tiger, nicking it's nose. The tiger shook its head and shrunk back, anger boiling at this rate. The boy tried to back up again but wound up tripping over a root just as the tiger lunged for him. The boy and the tiger struggled in the natural dip Vaas had fallen into. It ended just as quickly as it began.

"He fell on my knife you see. I held it tight with two hands and when the tiger jumped for me- **BAM**! Shoved it right into his heart."

Two men came forward and grabbed Mark. One untied him from the chair while the other held him still. They then forced him over to a set of shackles hanging from the ceiling at the opposite side of the room. He made a struggle of course but he was too weak and tired for the adrenaline to help him any. Vaas rose from his chair and reclaimed his trusty scalpel. "I dunno what's worse, Mark; Getting shot or getting stabbed. I've felt both."

"Fuck you!" Mark spat. He was immediately rewarded with a fist across the jaw.

"I think a bullet it the easy way out y'know. But it's quick...efficient and I got a business to run, so sometimes a bullet is the tool for the job, yeah. But other times-" He grabbed Mark's face and made him look into his eyes, "you need a different tool." Vaas chuckled lowly and shoved the man's face away.

"Have you ever cut out a heart before? It's like cutting through overcooked meat and then there's the ribcage you gotta get through, eugh, it's such a mess but totally worth it. I cut out that tiger's heart after I realized it was dead. It was hard to roll 'em over y'know, he was that fuckin' heavy."

The pirate lord walked circles around Mark as he continued his story. He pulled out an intricate dagger and showed to the man. "I used this knife. It's not a hunting knife. This, this is special. It's sharp, it's reliable. It saved my ass so many times." He cradled it between his hands quite lovingly. He then moved to drag the edge of the blade across the man's collarbone, cutting him enough to bleed. Mark started the same whimpering bullshit all the others had.

Vaas just smirked and moved the blade across another part of bare skin, "There's so many ways to torture people. Death by a thousand cuts is possible but it is, how do you say, arduous? Nobody has time for that, man. So, Mark, do you know why you're here? Hm? My boys back on the mainland caught you selling our goods. OUR FUCKING GOODS! Now if you wanted a piece of the action, you coulda just asked. But no...you wanted to cut us out of the picture...well now I'm gonna cut you."

Mark violently shook his head, "No, no please man, C'MON! I-I didn't know."

"Bullshit you didn't know! Everybody knows you stupid fuck." Vaas grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and put their foreheads together. "My boss says I gotta make an example out of you." Within an instant, Vaas plunged the dagger into the man's abdomen and twisted. Mark screamed out in pain and tried to wiggle away but Vaas's grip held him there. The blade missed any vital organs but it was sure to bleed out if not bandaged. The pirate junkie had no intention of bandaging Mark. He was going to gut him like a pig.

"So anyways, when I cut out the tiger's heart, it took me two days to get back to the village. I couldn't get the pig's heart y'know. Which is pretty funny. Tiger was like three times my size or something and I could get his heart. Anyways, I go back to the village and there's this dead fuckin' silence..."

Everyone stared at the young boy with anticipation. He had survived, yes, but did he acquire all he was supposed to? Did he become a man? The villagers looked on as the elders gathered around him. Vaas gave them his bag and resisted the urge to hang his head in shame. Maybe they wouldn't notice the difference.

The elder Vaas was positioned to succeed opened up the bag and pulled out the first heart. He nodded in approval and then set it aside. He then reached in and pulled out the other. He stared at it for a moment, glanced down at Vaas then back to the bloody organ in his hands. He trembled at the sight. Vaas took this as a bad sign. The crowd pushed closer, all straining their eyes and ears, awaiting the outcome.

"This...this is the heart of a tiger," He said to himself.

Murmurs erupted through the crowd. The little boy Vaas had brought back the heart of a tiger. Something hadn't happened in two generations. The elder held the heart high above his head, "He is truly the chosen one! He has brought back the heart of a tiger!"

The crowd erupted into a cheer, both astonished and amazed. A ten year had taken down a tiger. Vaas knew for a fact that it was sheer, dumb luck that earned him the praise but he took it nonetheless.

"Oh man, I was like a god among ants. It was great." He put his dagger away and twirled the scalpel he still had. He then stepped forward, examined Mark's chest a bit before slowly carving the letter 'V' into the flesh. Mark screamed out and squirmed. "STOP, STOP!"

"Hey hold him down!" Vaas ordered. The two pirates immediately complied and held the man still. Vaas didn't want the idiot to mess up his work. He dug two long downward strokes and then moved over a bit to start working on an 'M'.

The pain wasn't enough to make Mark pass out, but it was enough to make him feel agony. "You're fuckin' lucky man." Vaas replied, "The last guy that tried to cut us out, he got it worse than you. Bamboo shoots under the nails." He shuddered and cracked another smile before finishing off the last initial. He stepped back and admired his work.

"Heh, it's like a fuckin' Picasso or something, right?"

The pirates nodded in agreement. Blood seeped from the initials and drained down, copper crimson staining anything it touched. This was art in Vaas's eyes; a helpless man chained up and being taught a poetic lesson. "You know, I was gonna kill you hermano, but I think I leave you like this. So everytime you look in the fucking mirror, you remember what you did and how you paid. Hm?"

* * *

Kendra was slaving over a rather large stew pot, churning in potatoes and meat from a pig. Vaas had put her on cooking duty because she decided to be insolent again. A gash on her lip and a swollen cheek was a reminder of the price for her defiance. There was only so much of that nonsense Vaas could tolerate before he snapped. Blue eyes shifted to movement coming from one of the huts. Vaas was marching out with a triumphant look on his face. Behind him were two pirates dragging a man who had seen better days, the initials 'V.M.' carved into his chest.

The brunette looked back down to her work as Vaas approached, suddenly finding the dinner stew a lot more interesting than five minutes ago. He came around and tasted her progress. She chopped up some vegetables. Oh, she would love nothing more than to stab him right now. She wouldn't get very far, though. There were two guards watching her the entire time. In fact, they watched her all the time and followed her everywhere as per Vaas's orders. If they let her out of their sight, Vaas would tear out their eyes.

He nodded in approval, muttering something under his breath. Kendra continued to ignore him in silence, chopping up the vegetables. She could feel him behind her, staring at her, perhaps even leering. Her heart rate quickened and she could feel her face flush with anticipation. _Give me an excuse._

"That's a good look for you. _Domestication_." Vaas stated, leaning against a table, arms folded. He could see her shoulders tense for a split second before hearing the knife tear through the vegetables a little harder. She was ignoring him. He decided to test the waters. "Maybe next you can scrub my floors, huh?"

_There isn't much to scrub is there?_ She scrapped the chopped vegetables into the stew.

"Oh what's the matter? Have I failed to entertain you again?" Vaas inquired, pushing away from the table. He grabbed the back of Kendra's neck and turned her to face him. She refused to look him in the eye. She kept her gaze downcast. Vaas moved aside a strand of hair with his free hand. He wouldn't apologize for the bruise he left this time. The bitch needed to remember her place.

"You think me cruel, yeah? No, no. I'm not. This is simply survival of the fittest. If you're not a predator, you die here. I'm not a monster; I'm a tiger, I'm a god. I'm the saviour of all these little fucks." Vaas gently grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Her lapis orbs blazed with anger and hatred, which only made it better for him. "One day, Kendra...I'm gonna take you...and I'm gonna do things no man has ever done to you and you're gonna like it."

"I doubt that," She finally replied, holding his gaze this time.

Vaas grinned and flicked her nose before moving away. "Finish the stew, Mary Poppins. I don't want my boys dying of starvation." And with that, he was gone. Probably off to torture someone else. Kendra could only look forward to exploring the ruins every so often. Vaas only allowed her to go twice a week just to shut her up.

She still had some good ideas, though, some he had no qualms with utilizing. This was his island. _His_. Not Volker's, not the Rakyat, not the villagers. He was meant to inherit this place and he had every intention of doing so.

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize for the update last time. I know some of you were hoping it was a new chapter. I just didn't want anyone thinking I abandoned the story because of the lack of updates. But here you are! New chapter~ And sorry that the update is slow and crappy. No me gusta this. A looot of shit is going down here. :| Hopefully this will be resolved soon~

**Author of the Week:**

I dunno if I'm gonna make this a thing, but I figure I can recommend a good story when I see it. In this case - Way Too Far by Syphonic.

I've been bouncing ideas about it back and forth with her and I think it turned out just great! If you enjoy Evil Prevails, you'll definitely enjoy that. So this is my shoutout ;D


	16. Chapter 14 - Be Mine

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Be Mine**

* * *

_"I don't want to set the world on fire. I just want to start a flame in your heart." - The Ink Spots_

Cut. Cut. Cut.

Vaas was busy today. He felt the burning rush of victory course through his veins and fuel his task.

Cut. Cut. Squirt. Cut.

The bitch had a hard chest to crack. Someone in the tribe would say it was because she was the goddess warrior. Vaas wasn't paying any mind to the bullshit. She obviously wasn't that tough seeing as she was dead. Green eyes peered down at hazy, dead blue ones. The eyes of his sister. She looked quite good in red; smeared all over her body and pooled around her on the grass. The red and green clashed in a striking contrast. It was a work of art - Vaas's art.

He too looked like a work of art, a true savage warrior of the Rakyat. It must have been a riveting image to any who saw him. Muscles glistening with sweat and blood set against the setting of the sun. Ironic. One life extinguished and the sun goes down in perfect harmony. He hoped for a red dawn so everyone on the island would know. Vaas Montenegro killed Citra, their goddess. Well, gods don't bleed, right?

With one last grunt, Vaas had finally cut away everything that surrounded the woman's heart. He gently grasped it and cradled it between his hands. With a wild smile, he examined it, proud of his work. He then glanced to a huddled mess not too far away, the intended recipient of the heart. He stepped over Citra's body, blood squishing into the ground beneath his boots. He then leaned down on his haunches and with one hand pushed the body over.

It was Kendra, tears and blood caked on her face. Her breathing was ragged, like she had no more strength left in her. The fight had gone on for so long. Citra was better. But like some twisted knight in shining armor, Vaas had arrived and finished the job. Kendra was in pain and just lacked the capacity to care anymore. This was the end of the line.

Vaas stroked her face, a fresh blood trail following the gesture, "Kendra. Look." He was like a child wanting to show his mother his first drawing. He grabbed her hands and placed the heart in them. Kendra stared down at it, not really sure what to do. Does she thank him? After everything they've been through, disgust and horror wasn't really a part of her list of reactions anymore. _This was normal. _Considering that Vaas had done a lot worse things than cut out his sister's heart.

The woman licked her chapped lips and swallowed hard, "It's...I like it. It's a nice heart." Damn, trying to find the right words for this situation was hard.

Vaas grinned again. "You know what today is?"

Kendra shook her head the best she could.

"It's Valentine's. Isn't perfect?"

Kendra rose a brow, pressed her lips tight together and started shaking. She wasn't crying, no, she was trying not to laugh. But in the end, she couldn't help it. A chuckle escaped her and she flashed pearly whites. "I see."

Vaas chuckled as well, thinking he was a genius, "Happy Valentine's Day, Kendra." He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her and they watched as the sun continued to go down. Citra's body sat there as the warmth left her, the Rakyat village was in flames. It was quite romantic if one thought about it long enough.

Kendra woke up with a start. She turned her hands over again and again but there was no heart or blood or anything. She was in her little room, locked away like a bird. She checked the makeshift calendar she been making on the stone bit of wall. Sure enough, it was Valentine's Day. She had no idea where the dream had come from or why but in the end, she was still highly amused by it. "Vaas would do something like that." She muttered. The brunette then laid back down and stared up at the ceiling. She could imagine how Thanksgiving would go. If she survived that long.

As Kendra willing herself back to sleep, she could hear the Ink Spots song playing in Vaas's part of the hut on his clunky, old radio. He really was such a strange man. Violent, deadly, and strange...but somewhat endearing if you weren't a hopeless victim. She could admire his...determination from afar, but when she was up close and personal, well. Vaas was Vaas. What could anyone do?

Blue eyes pierced through the darkness of her room. It didn't have a proper light so when the sun went down, the only choice was to be in the dark. She could make out something white and fluffy on the table. If she strained her eyes hard enough, she could tell it was a flower; one that hadn't been there before. _My bloody Valentine. Heh._

* * *

**A/N: **Just a quick one-shot for Valentine's Day! Hope you guys are having a good one. If you're alone this year, remember, there's someone like Vaas out there wanting to give you the heart of their enemy.


	17. Chapter 15 - The Dragon

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 15 - The Dragon**

* * *

_"Go tell that long tongue liar, go and tell that midnight rider, tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter; Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down." - Johnny Cash_

He was a suave bastard from Singapore; A Caucasian man standing at 6 feet, with striking blue eyes offset by black eyeliner. He had black, short and spiky hair, slight stubble about his face. He was entirely handsome. There was no denying it. He wasn't a playboy billionaire, he never modeled, he never even been to the States or the United Kingdom. He didn't much care for Western civilization no matter how much he looked like them. His heritage didn't misplace his sense of loyalty and that loyalty tied closely to his business. That business? Well, he dabbled but currently that business was with one Darius Volker.

All his customers were based in the East. Everyone simply called him the Dragon. Cliche as it may have been, it fit. He was wise and intellectual, but on top of that he could be quite the cutthroat. You had to be in this business. That's what they all said and he firmly believed in it. He never got close to anyone, always remaining on the outside. Hoyt used to be the man he dealt with whenever he was near Thailand but apparently something changed that made Darius the new contact. That made the Dragon wary.

He sailed in with the sunrise, dark aviators framing his eyes, a sharp suit about his lengthy frame. He looked like a man not to be trifled with. These were the type of people that made up the majority of Volker's business contacts. He was decisive and careful, being sure to not repeat any of Hoyt's mistakes. That included keeping a tight leash on Vaas. Of course Darius had no idea Vaas was letting Kendra wander about the ruins. If he did, there would be hell to pay. Vaas didn't particularly care, though. He knew his position and getting rid of him now would count against Darius.

It was the pirate lord that had greeted the Dragon at the docks that morning. Cigarette lazily dangling between his lips, arms folded, thoroughly displeased expression, this is what the businessman saw as he disembarked. "Surely you're not Darius?" He inquired, taking his shades off. Vaas scoffed and shook his head, "Not a chance hermano. I'm Vaas."

"Ah. Yes, Darius's right hand man if I'm not mistaken."

"You're not." Vaas replied. He gestured to two of his men, "Go get his bags." He then turned his attention back to the foreigner, "He's waiting for you, come on. You got the best fucking accommodations on the island, man. Good view and everything." He began walking up the platform, leading Dragon towards the three story building that housed Volker's office at the top.

Darius was nervous, wringing his hands as he paced his office. Working with the Dragon was a big deal. Hoyt had spoken highly of him but had given a warning to his little brother once. _If you ever deal with the Dragon, tread lightly and don't make him angry. You'll regret it. He once skinned a guy that double crossed him and then tossed him over the side of a 30-story building. The poor bastard was still alive by the time he hit the ground. He's good business, though._ Darius took the advice to heart. He figured he would do well. He had been just as ruthless with people before. His ears pricked when he heard Vaas's loud mouth coming up the stairs. Darius immediately sat down and remained cool as a cucumber.

Dragon walked in and observed the Spartan office before eying the man behind his mahogany desk. He swiped the back of his hand across his chin before moving to shake Darius's hand. The other stood up with a smirk and took the offered hand. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Dragon."

"Likewise. I must admit I was a little reluctant to consider your offer, but since you are Hoyt's brother, I figured I should come down and have a look at your, uh, _problem._" Dragon replied, whilst taking a seat.

"It is a problem indeed," Darius stated, reclaiming his own seat as he gave a knowing glance to Vaas. "It's been one since Hoyt established his hold on this place. I'm losing men and money because of those cocksucking rebels. They can't be bought off either and the more of them you kill, the more that spring up like weeds."

Dragon nodded, unbuttoning his blazer. "I have a very simple solution then. Surely you've heard of biochemical warfare, yes?"

Darius slowly nodded. "Are you suggesting I use that on the rebels?"

"If you can pay the price, then yes. I know you're very up close and personal with your little war here, but sometimes you just need to have a seat on the sidelines and watch the game unfold from a different angle. Gassing them is simple and clean. I don't have enough on me to decimate an entire village, but I have brought a sample. Nerve gas should do the trick. The V-series is the best choice, no chance of survival. The hard part will be getting everyone into one area, seeing as you're on an island."

"We can manage, I just wanna see how good this shit is."

The Dragon slowly grinned like the Cheshire Cat, a sinister glint in his eye. "Very well." He rose from his seat and walked out of the office, motioning for the other two to follow.

Vaas gave Darius a look and spoke in a hushed tone, "Can we trust this fucker?"

"Of course not. You know about his reputation just as much as I do. I swear he's a looser cannon than you."

"Well, shit, I guess I gotta step my game up."

"He'll be here awhile. About a week or so. We'll need to keep him busy when he's not setting up the nerve gas or whatever." Darius slowed for a second and lightly smacked a hand against Vaas's chest. "How's Kendra doing?"

Vaas furrowed his brows and shrugged, "Fine I guess. Bitch is starting to keep in line."

"Good...I think she'll be perfect entertainment for Dragon." Darius smirked and began following the Singaporian again. "Make it happen Vaas!"

Vaas hesitated when he heard those words. Kendra was supposed to be his little play thing and now he had to share? That struck a nerve. "Sure," He muttered, continuing onward. Vaas hadn't done much to the woman besides smack her around when she got too mouthy but if the Dragon was supposed to be worse than him, he could only imagine what would happen then.

When Dragon reached his ship again, he shouted something in a foreign language to one of his men. A few seconds later, a canister was tossed down towards him, which he caught with ease. He then turned around and revealed it to Darius. "This is five hundred and sixty-five milliliters of pressurized killing power."

Darius nodded, examining the sleek looking cylinder, "Hm. Vaas, go get those yuppies from last night."

Vaas smirked and nodded before heading off to gather up the four spring breakers that wandered over to the island on their yacht yesterday afternoon. The poor bastards would get it today. Not ten minutes later he had returned with the students in tow. The girls were of course crying and the boys trying to struggle against their restraints. Vaas did his usual routine of making them shut up. "You've brought this upon yourselves! Don't you ever hear the stories about this place? Why do you fuckers keep coming, huh?"

"FUCK YOU!" One of the boys spat. That earned him a smack across the face with Vaas's gun.

"Shut the fuck up, hermano!" He then snapped his fingers and the pirates that were holding the students dragged them over to a pit and tossed them in. This pit was quite notorious on the south island. All manner of torture could take place here. People had been drowned, left out in the scorching sun, left to starve, thrown in with various dangerous animals, including a tiger once. Today the pit would be used for a new kind of death. Dragon moved over to the pit and opened the canister of nerve gas before tossing it in. Everyone backed away as smoke filled the pit. They could hear the screams coming from the victims inside; coughing and gagging, shuffling feet and pleas of mercy. This last for a few minutes before there was complete silence. Darius inhaled, blue eyes drifting up to the clear, blue sky as the silence expanded over the entire camp. He then glanced to Dragon, "It's perfect."

* * *

Kendra was hard at work trying to translate the story written on a temple wall. This was her third time out here and she was growing more frustrated. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was because she had finally lost a track of the days or perhaps it was the two guards that were constantly watching her like a hawk. She didn't like people staring. She complained, they didn't care. She wiped sweat from her brow for the hundredth time and took another swig of water. She had been out here for ages and wasn't the least bit bored.

The sun began to go down as it usually did. The sight in particular would have been magnificent weeks ago when she first arrived. It slowly descended behind the temple, casting about a ray of oranges and purples, as clouds began to set in beyond the horizon. With a sigh, Kendra packed her things, knowing her time here had come to an end again. The two guards quickly ushered her along. Vaas would want her back immediately, especially before the more dangerous creatures of the island came out.

Back at on the northern island, Vaas was sitting at his desk, enjoying a cigar courtesy of Dragon. He didn't want to send Kendra down there. Why should he? Because Darius said so? Kendra was his fair and square. Why did he have to share with some outsider? Vaas snorted at the thought and shook his head. He hadn't broken her yet. He was getting close though. He could taste victory on his tongue just like the tobacco he was smoking. Yet Dragon would be the one to claim his prize? The pirate's face visibly twisted into a unsatisfied sneer. _Fuck that, hermano._

Kendra came in just then, slinging the bag off her shoulder and treading into her little prison room. She would have kept going and collapsed onto the bed were it not for Vaas calling her back. "Keke," he said. It was a nickname he started using just to annoy her. She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and turned around to face him.

"Yes?"

"I need you to do something."

She twitched. She had already been busy since the sun came up. She was tired and hungry and now he wanted her to do something? She would have groaned but that recently started earning her a slap. So she kept her protests to herself. "And what would that be?" Her response was in such a honey sweet tone, it hurt.

Vaas smirked for only a second before his expression turned serious, "There's this guy; a big mover and shaker Volker's dealin' with…you're gonna keep him some company while he's here."

There was a dead silence in the air. Vaas staring down at the floor, cherry red end of the cigar flicked to the floor, Kendra staring hard at Vaas. "Excuse me?"

Vaas glanced up at her, taking in another inhale of the tobacco. "I don't like it any more than you do, but it's what the boss wants."

"It's not what I want."

"It doesn't matter what you want! You should get that by now."

"Right, because this is your island."

"Exactly. Now got get cleaned up, you look like shit."

Kendra was absolutely fuming. If this were a cartoon, smoke would be rolling out of her ears at this point. The brunette simply clenched her fists and marched right into her room, slamming the door behind her. She cleaned up alright, more because she couldn't stand the feel of sweat and grime on her anymore. She began muttering obscenities to herself and daydreaming of a hundred horrid ways for Vaas to die. It wasn't really his order was it, though? It was the supreme dick of them all; Volker. She knew that man was trouble since the day Vincent laid eyes on him. Darius personally had it out for her because she practically stole Vincent away from that nasty business back in South Africa. _So this is his payback? Make me into his little whore? I'll show him. I'll bite his mover and shaker's little dick off._

Once she was satisfied with her cleanliness, she finally emerged, arms crossed. Vaas was standing in the main room, holding up a golden hued dress and the slyest look his face. Kendra stood there in silence as Vaas swished the dress around, "C'mon. I'm pretty good with fashion, you know. A lot of these girls bring over those magazines of theirs. Really helpful."

"How do you even know my size?" Kendra inquired through gritted teeth.

Vaas grazed his bottom lip with his tongue, "Oh I knew what size you wore when I first saw you, hermana. Now, c'mon, I wanna see how it looks."

The woman huffed and snatched the dress away from him. She immediately went into her room and switched clothing. The dress itself went down to her ankles but had cutouts in the most inconvenient of places; down along the back and on both sides of the waist. With a sigh, she exited her room and showed it off to Vaas.

Vaas was occupying his chair again when Kendra came out. He grinded his back teeth when he set eyes on her. Her appearance just made him all the more pissed that he was handing her over to Dragon. The brunette turned around and asked that he zip her up. He immediately pushed away from his chair and did so. Calloused fingers scraped across her back as he pulled the zipper up and Kendra resisted the urge to shiver; whether out of disgust or something else was still undecided.

Once he was done, Vaas put his hands on either side of her arms and pulled her close. He nuzzled her neck and bit down, making the woman wince. "No matter what he does to you; I can do better."

"I should go. I don't want to be late." Kendra said coldly, shrugging off the minor affection. She knew Vaas wanted her and she'd make him beg in the end. He chuckled and led her out the door to where Carlos was waiting. He'd be the one taking her over because if it was Vaas himself, he wouldn't be able to do it without threatening Dragon in some way.

* * *

Back in Dragon's rather swanky little shack, the young man was currently flipping through a small, black pocket. It was filled with secrets and information that all aided him in his business; contacts, evidence, money transactions, etc. If ever he went down, he'd take a whole lot with him. This was just one of many reasons why no one tried to take his place yet. It would be the equivalent of setting off an atomic bomb.

After about an hour of pouring over his notes and writing new ones about Darius, a rap came on his door. He snapped the book shut and hid it beneath his mattress. He then moved to the door and opened it to reveal a beautiful, brunette woman before him. Hazel eyes looked her up and down before settling on those piercing blues of hers. "Yes?"

Kendra inhaled and kept her expression level, "Darius sent me to keep you company."

Dragon took a moment to assess the situation. He then smiled, "As wonderful of a gift you may be, I'm afraid I'll have to turn you down. Thank you."

He began to shut the door, but a slender hand shot out and held it open. A look of desperation was now on the woman's face, "Please. He won't be happy if I return before the morning." Dragon considered her, then looked past her shoulder to see Darius in the distance, arms folded. Little did he know of the _discussion_ Darius and Kendra had earlier. It was her job to keep him occupied and happy while he was here. Darius wasn't some blind fool. He knew Kendra was beautiful and she would fetch him a hefty price if he sold her to some wealthy foreigner. But no, Vaas just had to go and get greedy. Well, this was what happened when one cut out money from Volker.

Dragon sighed and stepped aside, allowing her entrance. She came in and he then gave a smirk to Darius before finally shutting the door. "Have a seat." He stated, gesturing to the chair, while he took the edge of the bed. "We don't have to do anything. We can just talk. I'm a terrible person but I am a gentleman. I won't make you do anything you don't want to, despite what Darius said."

Kendra was slightly taken aback. This was not how she imagined her night going. She thought for sure that number one, this businessman would be some ugly brute, and two, that he would take full advantage of her. Yet, here was this well dressed, well mannered, handsome young man. She rose a brow. "Is this some sort of game?"

Dragon pursed his lips and shook his head, "No game. I'm simply not a dog. What's your name anyways?"

"…Kendra."

"Kendra? A beautiful name to match a beautiful woman. I'd give you mine but I'm afraid it's quite dangerous; you may however call me Dragon. Some people just call me Draco."

"Draco. Peculiar."

"Unique. It's a name that comes with the territory."

"And that would be?"

"Same things as Volker - Sex, drugs and rock n' roll."

Kendra snorted in amusement. She crossed her arms and sat back against the chair.

"Do I amuse you dear?" Draco asked with a devilish grin.

"Yes, actually. You're the opposite of what I imagined."

"I believe you. What are you even doing here?"

"I'm not some prostitute if that's what you're wondering. I'm a prisoner here. I'm an explorer and I was here on an expedition God knows how long ago with my team. We got captured by Vaas and his people. Now one of my men is dead and the others were released for five million dollars. Vaas decided to keep me though. Very nasty business."

Draco remained silent for a moment, mulling over everything she just told him. "Interesting. And how long ago was that?"

"Maybe a month? Two at the most. I've lost track."

Draco nodded, peered around the room and looked back at the woman, "Quite the series of unfortunate events. None of your people tried to come back for you?"

"I told them not to. I wasn't about to risk anyone else's life for my own."

"Interesting."

"You're finding quite a lot interesting."

"Sorry, I tend to overstate that. Sort of like Spock with 'fascinating'. It really is interesting, though. Out of all the people I've seen here, you just don't look like you belong and yet you chose to remain here out of the selfless sentiment of love. You don't see that in my business."

"Well, I'm not a part of your business am I."

"Indeed you're not. You could be, though. I could buy you from Darius and get you off this island if that's what you wished."

There was a dead silence. Kendra's heart pounded at the aspect. However, rationality began to settle in. Was this another ploy? She had been played so much since her time here that she's learned to be extremely wary of the promises people make. She did want to leave and be rid of this place, but her job, the very thing that made her who she was, fought against the decision. There were still so many unanswered questions about the temples and the Rakyat. The greatest discovery known to man could be right beneath her fingers. She wasn't about to give that up. Given what was happening to the island, no one would get as far as she had already. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm staying."

"…Seriously? Why?"

"Because I have a job to do."

"But is it worth your life? Your dignity?"

"Why do you care? You don't even know me."

"True, I don't. I'm just curious. Honestly, you're beginning to fascinate me."

"Call it ambition."

"I'd rather call it suicide."

"Even if I explained it to you, Draco, I don't think you'd understand."

"No, I don't think I would." After a beat, "So where does that leave us?"

* * *

As the conversation went on, Darius was in his office planning with Vaas on how to get the villagers together in one area so they could disperse the nerve gas and be done with their little problem. On the other side of the region, the villagers were amassing a small army with the help of Charlie and Chris. Their little raids the past few weeks had disrupted the pirates' movements and slowed their progress of expansion but in the end, it wasn't enough. The villagers would have to take on the main complex on the northern island at some point. Vaas knew this. It's exactly what he would do. Hit his camp hard and fast, before knew what was happening. So he was partially glad to have Kendra on the southern island, even if that meant she would be with Dragon.

All the plans were being set in motion; locals rising against the pirates, and the pirates laying in wait to capture their prey. All out war was going to break out soon and the whole island held its breath in anticipation.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry this took me so long. There was a lot to write and I was in London over the weekend. But here it finally it is over a month later! As you might have already just seen, some shit's about to go down! Easter break is in a few days which means, no classes and barely an assignment in sight. Which means, more chapters! So be on the lookout. Also, be sure to follow the tumblr page and my twitter for updates. Until next time folks~


	18. Chapter 16 - This Is War

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 16 - This Is War**

* * *

_A warning to the people  
The good and the evil  
This is war_

The villagers, the natives, the people of Rook Island were raising their fist towards the sky and crying for war. They wanted their home back, ripped from their hands by the pirates who raped, pillaged and burned. They rose their fists for revolution, for justice, for freedom. No more tyranny, no more living in fear, no more Vaas nor Volker. This was _their_ island. Chris and Charlie were in the crowd, the foreign soldiers that had been fighting along side the natives, fists in the air as well. They were willing to fight to the death for these people after everything they saw.

_To the soldier, the civillian  
The martyr, the victim  
This is war_

Darius and Vaas poured over their plans of the island; which was the best way to attack, from where would they launch their assault and when. The gas was their secret in the back pocket. Volker wanted bloodshed first. Nothing could be too easy for him. He wasn't a coward. He'd give those savages the proper war they wanted and then exterminate every last one of them. It would be like wiping bugs from a windshield. Vaas would take the direct route as usual and face them head on while another two groups of his men would circle around and outflank the natives. The plan was to corral them into one area and then release the gas.

_A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest_  
_This is war_

On the other side of the island, Kendra was keeping Dragon company, a man who personally didn't like to get his hands dirty these brunette had no idea what was going on. All out war was about to break out. She knew it was coming, though. She had heard the lowered voices of Carlos and Vaas many times. She had seen the new shipment of weapons; knives, AK-47s, 9mms, grenades and RPGs. She thought the whole thing was ridiculous of course. Commendable as it may have been for the natives to fight back, they were surely outnumbered. _Wars have been won by smaller._ Kendra didn't try to think of it. In fact, a war would have been brilliant. Maybe Darius could do her a favor and take a bullet to the face. She would have the freedom to do her work with no pirates around. She secretly sided with the natives. Maybe that was for her own selfish reasons. Through them she could find the Rakyat and get the information she wanted.

_To the leader, the pariah, the victim, the messiah_  
_This is war_

Citra and her Rakyat people stood at the sidelines and waited. They wanted to see who came out the victor. They had their own agenda. If Vaas fell, Citra would swoop right in and take over the entire island. The natives wouldn't complain. Most of them were behind her anyways. Oh how low her brother had fallen from greatness. If only he agreed to be at her side. He could have been a king by now. He always had his own ambitions, though, ambitions that the Rakyat couldn't contain. Darius and Hoyt both tried to contain them as well. One failed and the other was starting to fail as well. Vaas was too much for anyone to control. He was a wild animal best left on its own or you'd be caught in his wrath. Everyone knew this and it would certainly explain his God complex. The young child so full of potential had been spoiled by the greed of man. That child was lost forever and Kendra being ever the optimist, thought she could find that child again.

_It's the moment of truth and the moment to lie_  
_The moment to live and the moment to die_  
_The moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight, to fight_

As night fell over Rook Islands, the shouts grew louder. Two voices rose as one and encompassed the north island. Women and children and those unable to fight, were hidden away for safety in one of the many caves that littered the area. Everyone else loaded themselves up with weaponry and marched across the island to the battlefield. They planned on taking over the north island encampment. They worked hard to keep their plans a secret. However, their was a spy in their midst. A young woman they saved, or so they thought. She had been thoroughly brain washed into doing whatever the pirates wanted, including getting information from the natives.

So when Dennis led his people down, imagine their surprise to see the camp had been deserted. Nothing stirred, not a peep. The people went throughout the entire area, searching for any signs of life. There were none. The pirates and the hostages had been taken away on boats and simply moved around to the other side. Charlie ran up to Vaas's shack to try and find Kendra but she was nowhere to be seen. There were only her things. Her journal, her chalk marks on the wall, her clothes, and her tools. He released a defeated sigh and slumped down on the bed, holding her journal between his hands. Chris came in and looked around. "Anything?"

Charlie shook his head. "No. I don't know what they did with her."

"Hey man, we'll find her."

"I know. She probably doesn't even know I'm still alive." He immediately got the idea to grab a pen and write in Kendra's journal. He flipped through and found the next empty page. He scribbled a note in it and snapped it shut. There was something wrong with this picture. The pirates wouldn't just abandon this place. All their things were still here after all. This was definitely a ploy for the benefit of the natives. Charlie got from the bed and patted Chris on the shoulder, "C'mon, we need to go."

Once they were outside again, they met up with Dennis. "They left and took the hostages with them but they will return."

"They run with their tails tucked between their legs?" Chris inquired with a cocky smile.

"Don't be foolish." Dennis immediately scolded, "They may seem unintelligent, but you must remember who their leader is. Vaas is irrational but a lot that he does, he does for a reason. They are waiting for us. They are like the tigers who hide in the bush and wait to pounce. That is his nickname amongst the Rakyat - The Tiger. He learned from a tiger how to hunt and make no mistake...he is hunting us now."

True to the description, Vaas was off in the distance, shrouded by the cover of darkness, watching the natives move around down below. This cliff side was the perfect place to see everything that happened in his camp. He could see people moving about with their torches, checking all the shacks and buildings, questioning what to do next. Vaas snorted and spoke in a low voice,"Stupid fuckers. Know what they say Dennis? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...there's no fuckin' twice with me, hermano." Green hues flicked to Carlos, "You know what to do." His right hand man made a quick nod before signaling to the groups of men they had hidden up there with them. Now was the time to strike.

Dennis could feel the tingle in the air. Something was wrong, now more than ever. "Move!" Everyone looked at him because of his sudden outburst. "You heard me! Get to cover!" As soon as he finished his sentence, an explosion went off, knocking back five men and killing three. The natives immediately started running for cover. Vaas's men descended from the cliff side on zip lines and literally dropped in. Explosions covered their entry as another flank of foot soldiers came in from the side. Gun fire broke out from both sides. The battle had kicked off. Everyone began firing at their respective opponent, ducking for cover, tossing grenades, going back to cover, reloading. It was all pure, unadulterated chaos. Vaas was enjoying every minute of it. This wasn't his fight, though. At least not yet. He kept back, smoking a cigar and watching the battle unfold.

Screams filled the cool, night air. Down on the southern island, however, nothing could be heard but the sounds of mother nature. Kendra was explaining what she found out about the island and its people. Draco, being the ever ambitious fellow, was intrigued. He had always wondered why Volker set up his business on the ass end of nowhere. More to the point, why he had chosen Vaas as his right hand man. Of course it was because he was volatile and mailable, but also because he was Rakyat. The chosen one even. If Volker could control Vaas and Vaas could control the Rakyat, then Volker would have the entirety of Rook Islands under his thumb, including the many secrets it contained. It had a lot of history for an uncharted island. Unfortunately for Volker, Vaas was a hard man to control and he wasn't about to spill the beans either. He knew what he was doing. He had plans to eventually kill Darius but not before he killed Citra.

In Citra's place a new queen would rise. In his demented mind, he figured Kendra would be up for the idea. Why wouldn't she? He'd practically give her the keys to the Rakyat kingdom. She could know everything she wanted to know about the ancient tribe if she was so willing to be by his side. She was a fiery one and even then he had succeeded at somewhat breaking her spirit. Citra had so desired for Vaas to be her king but he had declined in the end. Kendra should feel honored that he would even consider her. He wanted her and he would have her. That was that. He was like a child that wanted a new toy and would do anything to get it. Kendra on the other hand loathed the man and even then, she allowed herself to take the place of her people in order to save their lives. It was both a selfless and selfish act. They would be safe and she would still have the opportunity to do her work whenever Vaas deemed it worthy.

So there was a violent war waging between Volker's men and the locals. There was also a subtle one being waged between a man and woman who were both very stubborn. They would all fight to the death to get what they were after. It was the rule of living on Rook Islands. You never got something for nothing here.

* * *

**A/N: **So so so sorry this took a long time to get out. Exams and shit had been holding me back. But I have loads of free time now and so I should be spitting out more chapters for the next two weeks and hopefully finish before I leave to go back home to America!


	19. Chapter 17 - What Happens in Nepal

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 17 - What Happens in Nepal**

* * *

**- 6 Years Ago -**

Turbulence hit the jet plane at 30, 000 feet, shaking the occupants this way and that. If it weren't for their seat belts, they'd be on the floor. "This is some kind of weather!" Charlie shouted. Outside was a raging storm of snow and ice. Impossible weather to fly in. It had come on suddenly as the company flew further into the mountainous region of Nepal. They started off at the base. The weather there was somewhat warm, the grass and trees a perfect shade of green. Kendra, Charlie, Vincent, and David had been given a special assignment by an old friend of Kendra's. There was a dagger belonging to a famed warrior monk and it was priceless. It wasn't the monetary value that had sparked Kendra's initial interest - It was the legend attached to it. According to myth, the dagger had been passed down through the ages. It was known as a dragon slayer, said to contain the fire of each dragon it killed. It held immense power, something akin to an atomic bomb with all the fire it stored by now. The opportunity to confirm or dispute the fact was too good to pass up. By now, Kendra and her three daring men had encountered many artifacts with crazy legends behind them but they came with a lot of truth nonetheless.

After what seemed like forever, the little jet managed to hold together and clear away from the storm. The four were put at ease but it was only temporary. An engine suddenly blew out causing the jet to drop and then spin out of control. The pilot tried his best to regain control. The effort, while valiant, was futile. While he was able to get the fuselage upright again, the plane was still on the path of a fiery descent. "We're gonna crash!" he yelled out of the cockpit. His passengers quickly put their heads between their knees and covered their heads. Within seconds, the jet plane smashed belly first into the Earth and skid across a thick blanket of snow for about half a mile before finally coming to a stop. All was still in the plane. Kendra finally popped her up and took a look around. The tail end had been ripped out and a wing was missing. The temperature began to drop and it would be getting dark soon.

"Is everyone alright?" she called out, undoing her seat belt. They gave some pained grunts as they released themselves.

Vincent got up and rushed into the cockpit to check on the pilot. He turned back and shook his head. "Dead."

"Shit. Alright." Kendra paced for a bit, trying to figure out their next move. "We've got to find out where we are, see if we're close to the temple."

David stepped outside for a moment, battling the elements before running back in. "There's no way we're getting through that on foot. We'll have to wait for it to settle."

"Until then we'll have to try and stay warm," Vincent added.

Charlie was quick to start pulling out maps and triangulating their position. None of their equipment worked at this point so he had to do it the old fashion way. Kendra took her seat once more and waited as Charlie and David worked their magic. Vincent stood along side her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing we could have done." He stated in a lowered voice only she would hear. He knew she was already worried about the pilot. He had a family if she recalled correctly.

"We should wrap up the body and keep it here. He'll stay preserved that way." She responded. Vincent nodded in agreement.

"Alright, if our calculations are right, we should be about two or three miles from the temple," Charlie piped up.

"Not too far to travel, then. That's good." Kendra answered. "Let's take care of the pilot and then make a camp for the night. We'll use the fuselage as shelter."

* * *

The night went on rather slowly, the storm continued to rage outside. None of the company got that much sleep. Whether it was the cold, noise or fact that they were in the middle of nowhere that kept them up, no one really knew. The next morning they managed to crawl out of their half-frozen sleeping bags and face whatever the day had to throw at them. What they hadn't expected when the storm cleared was a massive temple built into the side of an icy mountain with an equally icy path that led to it.

"I guess we're closer than we thought." Vincent stated, staring at the task ahead. Not only were they so lucky to be just a few meters away, but also they were lucky to have even survived the night in one piece. The plane had actually been damn near teetering on the edge of the canyon but the ferocity of the stormy winds had kept it from falling over. The company gathered whatever supplies they could carry and repelled down the mountain side to the icy bottom. They knew time was against them. The only reason why they had flown out was because someone else was hot on the trail of this. Kendra's personal rivals because she had stolen Vincent out from under them. That's how their partnership had started. He was sent to kill her and she talked herself out of a bullet. Thus said rivals were livid with her even further. Now she was trying to beat them to this temple tucked away in the Nepalese highlands in order to acquire a very expensive artifact. Unfortunately for her and the three men she dragged along, her rivals were the type to leave bodies in their wake. Hence the rush to get here. They wanted to get in, get the artifact and leave the scene before Nathanial and trigger happy friends could arrive and crash the party.

The icy path, the one the four explorers began walking across for a good twenty minutes, actually turned out to be a very frozen pond. It creaked and cracked under their weight and they decided to fan out to lessen the damage. Their efforts would prove to be futile as a gust of wind had picked up, threatening to bring another storm. What was left of their plane started to inch dangerously towards the edge. Without an extra five to six hundred pounds to keep it in place, the fuselage began to move. The four stopped in their tracks when they heard the inevitable screeching noise of metal against rock as the plane slowly careened over the side and plummeted straight for the bottom. - Panic fueled their running. Before the nose of the plane could hit, they were already on the move. They knew what would happen next and whole scenario seemed to move in slow motion. The subsequent crash violently cracked the ice and the crack spread all the way to the other side. Whatever cracks the explorers had already made on their way across, began to grow and lick at their heels. The icy surface shattered and water splashed through. The four reached the stone steps of the temple just as the rest of the icy surface caved in and melted under the influence of the water beneath.

"There's no going back that way." Charlie announced. Kendra checked the time on her watch. They were only a day ahead of Nathaniel and with that storm and the fate of their plane, a day's advantage could have easily been shortened to mere hours. "We need to get moving. There's no telling how much time we have left." The others agreed and quickly moved into the temple.

On the other side of this perilous winter wonderland was Nathaniel and his small army of mercenaries, gaining ground. Perhaps having about ten extra men with him and his typically four man team would be considered overkill, but his ex-partner, Vincent, was working for the competition now. Vincent was his best man after all. Ruthless and efficient but apparently he wasn't as loyal as Nathaniel had originally assumed. In any case, the man didn't want to take any chances. With this one mission he could make himself and his people rich beyond their dreams and eliminate that pesky Kendra West. It was amazing what kind of mindset money could induce. Kendra, coming from a wealthy family, had no need for the money the find offered, she was in it for both the adventure and the fact that deep within this temple was a map that would show her to other sights that held unimaginable artifacts. Her three companions were in it for all of the above.

The echoes of their footsteps reverberated off the walls and all around them, no matter how quiet they tried to be. "I always feel like I got launched into an Indiana Jones episode whenever we do this." Charlie murmured.

"Episodes?" Countered David.

Charlie nodded, shining his flashlight at various wall inscriptions and statues. "There was a tv series that ran for a little bit and I used to watch it as a kid."

"And that's why you became an archaeologist?" Kendra inquired with a smile.

"If you can call this archaeology," Charlie responded with a smile.

There was no doubt that this _temple_ was massive. In fact, it was starting to look more like a maze than anything. They soon approached the end of the path as it immediately dropped off into a dark expanse. The beams from their flashlights grazed across objects in the distance but it was too dark to make them out. Vincent loaded a flare into his flare gun and shot it off. The bright red glow showed off what seemed to be an elaborate bridge up ahead. Kendra spotted ice covering the skylight and while the flare was still burning, she quickly pulled out her own gun and shot the ice out with precision. Sheets of it shattered and fell to the ground, allowing the sunlight from outside to come in.

Vincent rose a brow at her and the fact that she was even carrying, "I thought you were a pacifist."

"I have no objection to shooting kneecaps." She stated, holstering the gun. She then pointed to a large statue of Buddha across the bridge now that there was more light. Below him was a double door and where they needed to go next.

"Seems a bit too easy," David voiced looking around for a way to get down. He soon found an unforgiving set of stairs to the far right. They were sure to collapse under their weight. "One at a time here."

* * *

Nathaniel and his men had already arrived at the temple entrance by the time Kendra and her men found their way down. "They'll be getting close now. Find them and kill them." The mercenaries nodded and ran inside, sweeping the area for signs of their target. Nathaniel looked back out to the icy lake, the fuselage of the plane sticking out of it a bit. He knew they had survived the plane crash because they had survived everything else he threw at them. He could never seem to get rid of the tenacious group and it annoyed him with every fiber of his being. The scrolls would be his and that was that. He pressed forward into the temple and caught up with his men.

Not an hour's trek ahead, Kendra and company were traversing their way across a rather unstable bridge and it put every one on edge. The brunette made it across first and walked ahead a bit to have a good look at the door. She took off her canvas backpack and pulled out a leather bound journal by Francisco Castillo - a pioneering explorer of his time. He was born in 1867 in merry ole England and set off to explore the world much like his father and grandfather had. So needless to say he had a lot of experience backing him when he traveled to the East in his early twenties. Several times he had mentioned a tribe called the Rakyat and their apparent connections to the ancient peoples of this realm. When he first started, all he had to go on was a rumor about a mysterious island. He was determined to find any proof of it and since the rumor started in Kathmandu, that's where he started. "This is definitely the place," Kendra stated, fingers grazing across the sketch of the door.

There was a blood curdling crack from behind her and she immediately whipped around to see what it was. The bridge was starting to collapse and unfortunately, Vincent was still on it. "RUN!" The man didn't hesitate. Every step he took, the bridge cracked and crumpled further, starting a chain reaction that eventually made the whole thing come down. Vincent disappeared as soon as he got to the end which made Kendra drop the journal and run up after him. When she looked over the edge she could see the man grasping onto some vines for dear life. Charlie and David quickly helped him up to the safety of the ledge.

Nathaniel and his men stopped when they heard the crashing of the bridge. He grinned and moved them forward at a quick pace.

Kendra furrowed her eyebrows and moved back to the door, "We've got to move. I'm sure someone heard that."

"How the hell do we open this door then?" Charlie asked, feeling around for some sort of mechanism.

"How you normally open things Charlie," Kendra replied, putting her backpack on. Charlie looked at her, his expression asking if she was sure. She promptly nodded.

Charlie pulled off his own pack and took out a small box that contained blocks of C4. He put one small block on the seam of the doorway and began to place a charge in it. As he was setting that up, Nathaniel and his men came from across the large room, but there was no way for them to get across. At least, not yet. The mercenaries began firing at the four below and they had to immediately duck for cover. Charlie had dropped the detonator before he could finish and cursed under his breath. Vincent pulled out his own gun and fired back, picking off two mercenaries. They got to cover as a counter attack ensued. Kendra handed her gun to David and moved to collect the detonator. The two men covered her and despite the bullets bouncing off the wall very near to her, she kept her cool and got the job done. The brunette immediately moved for cover again and Charlie set off the C4. A man sized hole blew out on the door and Kendra signaled for Charlie to go. He didn't have to be told twice.

Afterwards, she went through. "Come on!" She called out. Vincent made sure David went through before going leaving his post and following behind. They ran down the tunnel a bit and stopped to catch their breath once they were sure they were out of immediate danger. "Well, things just got a little more complicated."

Vincent nodded, "Yeah but since the bridge gave way it'll take them awhile to find a way around. It may have bought us some time."

"Yes, but how much?"

"Enough to get what we came for," he replied, reassuring the company. Kendra didn't agree, even though she didn't vocalize her opinion. Sure getting the scrolls was supposed to be easy, but what if there was more here than that. Then what? She just nodded and led the boys on, using the journal as her guide. Since the temple was built into the side of the mountain, their trek would prove to be increasingly difficult. There were many paths to take, some of which had either caved in or froze over.

Thankfully, the journal had led them the right way, though the trek was just as dangerous as crossing that bridge. After about an hour of wandering, they finally came to a small room. The doors had been knocked down as if someone had been there before - Possibly Castillo and his people. There were three walls loaded down with inscriptions, the ceiling had a very intricate chandelier hanging down and in the center of the floor was a raised platform with a rather complex looking design carved into the surface. Based on the sketches in the journal, the looked a lot different nearly two hundred years ago.

Charlie, David and Vincent took a wall each and started to find a pattern while Kendra took to the platform. "Here!" Vincent called out. Kendra looked up from the journal, "This drawing of a man in the center holding a scepter, it's the same as the others we found." Kendra snapped the journal shut and smirked. For the past two years they've been retracing Francisco Castillo's footsteps in an attempt to find Rook's Island. Everywhere they went, they kept finding the same thing: a drawing or some other of a man with a scepter.

"Castillo never did manage to find the scrolls but he thought that they may have been here the whole time," Kendra stated, taking her bag off.

"I don't get it," Charlie piped up, "Castillo didn't need the scrolls to find the islands, we know he did, so why are _we_ looking for them?"

"Because, without the scrolls Castillo was never successful in fully translating the texts he found on Rook's."

"So the scrolls are like an awesome decoder ring?"

Kendra smiled again and nodded, "Something like that...they have to be somewhere." Blue eyes scanned the room, looking for clues. Everything had something to do with the center. That's what all of it was about, what this man with the scepter was about. He was to bring balance and equality. The brunette bent down and traced her finger along the carving beneath her. There was a distinct circle around her and when she touched it, it felt oily. It even smelled of oil. She glanced up and noticed a small opening above the chandelier that let in light and air. On the edges of the carving were four deep impressions. "Fire, water..." she muttered. "Wind...where does earth come into play?"

"What," David inquired, stepping up to the platform.

"The four elements have something to do with this...I think. See here, this is supposed to be on fire, there's wind coming from up top, I'm assuming water goes into those impressions there but where does earth go? It all has to be done at once." The boys got to work looking for some sort of mechanism. After a few minutes of searching, Charlie found it in front of the platform, facing the far wall of the room, having been covered by moss. They took the moss out and cleaned it up to show that it clearly connected to the platform. Kendra nodded and got to work before Nathaniel could come and ruin the party.

"Alright, water there, earth there and we light this at the same time."

Vincent and David got in between the depressions so they could pour water into both at once, Charlie was on earth duty and Kendra struck up a match for the middle. She stood directly in the center and bent down to light the circle. As soon as it showed a spark of life, the boys did their part. Within a few seconds, a loud shudder erupted throughout the previously quiet room. The platform lowered and so did a part of the floor between it and the wall. When the dust settled, the company saw that a staircase had been formed. Kendra grinned and took out her flashlight once more. "Okay...let's go."

"I don't think so, Miss West," Came Nathaniel all too chipper voice. He and his men filed into the room and surrounded the four, making them put their hands behind their heads. "You're a tenacious pain in my ass, you know that?"

"I had a theory," Kendra retorted, "You going to kill us now?"

Nathaniel grinned and shook his head, "That was originally the plan but then I realized, I kind of need you in order to get the scrolls...We can be partners in this little endeavour."

"...Partners...right. So I get the scrolls and then our partnership ends with a bullet in my head?"

"Now, now, don't be so presumptuous. I won't kill you...even though I should. However, if you don't help me, I'll kill _them._"

"What makes you think I care?"

"Oh I know you care and it'll be your downfall one day...or maybe that's today, in any case you **will** help me. I need your research and you need them. The solution seems fairly obvious to me; in other words, you don't really have much a choice."

* * *

**A/N:** Sup peeps? Sorry I've neglected to post anything. Me life has not been so stable of late. But alas! Here is finally a new chapter and some bloody backstory about Nepal (cause some people have asked about it). Mind you this all has relevance for future events. At this point, the story will be concluded fairly soon which amazes me to no end. Anyways, I continue to thank you all for having patience and hanging in there and enjoying Evil Prevails no less.

I'll be starting a new job next week but I will try to post the next one or two chapters between now and the 27th. :)


	20. Chapter 18 - When the Smoke Settles

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

**Rated:** M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

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**Chapter 18 - When the Smoke Settles**

* * *

A war had broken out on the northern island of Rook. Just as quickly as it started, it ended. Vaas's men had equipped themselves with gas masks and canisters of the weapon The Dragon had brought with him. The nerve gas was deployed immediately, surrounding the natives and enveloping them. Some managed to run away, their lungs and eyes burning, others were not so lucky. The unfortunate victims began to scream and writhe in pain, dropping like flies. The gunfire and explosions died down. Vaas's goons chased the remainder of the vigilante villagers through the jungle and back to their homes. The Rakyat stood tall on the enclave overlooking the encampment. Bodies and blood were everywhere. The shacks were in heaps of blown out or burning metal and wood. It looked like an absolute catastrophe but regardless, Vaas chalked this up to a victory. The Dragon's methods really did pay off. He was satisfied that the natives would leave him be now that he had shown his hand.

Once the smoke settled, the bodies were moved and burned collectively. They began rebuilding like nothing had happened while the villagers went home to lick their wounds and devise a contingency. If they were to be so bold again. By the time morning rolled around the Kendra made her way back, all was seemingly normal. The slaves were moved back in, most of the damage had been repaired and Vaas was sat upon a rock, offering a smug smile to the brunette as she wandered up. "Vaas." She stated. Her blue eyes glanced around, noticing that all the odds and ends of the camp were a bit different? "Did some redecorating while I was away?"

"Something to that effect," he replied, hopping off his rock. "How was Dragon?" He really didn't want to know the answer. He was still livid at Darius for even sending Kendra over there. Even so, he wouldn't let his mood be ruined.

"Surprisingly chatty for an arms dealer." Just like Vaas wasn't looking for any details, she wasn't giving any.

"You know what? I've been thinking..."

_That's dangerous. _Kendra thought.

"You and I can help each other." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He envisioned a grand scheme of how he would thwart his sister and Darius in one fell swoop and finally get the control he so desired. Citra's obsession with the Rakyat heritage would be her downfall. She was trying to take a place that did not belong to her and was thus not prepared for it. Vaas, on the other hand, had been raised to lead the Rakyat. Unfortunately, his history was a little rusty but fortunately, he had himself a cheat-sheet - Kendra.

The woman raised a brow at his arm on her and studied his overly gleeful expression. Something about this didn't settle well. She went along with it anyways. "Help each other?"

Vaas nodded and stopped in his movements, turning to face the brunette, "Yes! I was wrong to keep you away from the Rakyat history. You want to know more about it and so do I. I mean...it is my heritage and right now you're the only expert on the matter. I'm gonna let you do your job **_if _**you help me do mine."

"And what does your job entail?"

Vaas looked around to make sure there were no eavesdroppers about, "To rightfully take my place as leader."

"So you've finally come to your senses and tire of being a subordinate?" She was testing uneasy waters with a statement like that but she had to test it anyways. She knew who Vaas was, or at least she started to suspect it the longer she stayed with him. If it was true that Vaas was the heir to the Rakyat throne, then he could unlock the secrets Francisco Castillo was looking for in Nepal. But for such a corrupted man to rule? It was a terrifying fantasy. He obviously couldn't be controlled by any conventional means. If she helped him and he helped her, the results would be inevitably devastating. That was something she couldn't allow, despite her burning curiosity.

Nevertheless, Kendra could help him just enough to get what she needed. If she played her cards right she could get everyone to turn on each other and make this place implode.

She slowly nodded her head in agreement, "Alright. You'll have to tell me what you know before I can tell you anything of use."

* * *

It was well into the night after Vaas and Kendra had struck a deal. Once they were back at his shack and she was changed into more comfortable clothes, they began pouring over her notes and that of Castillo, looking at maps of the islands, and pictures of the temples and ornate stones. They exchanged information; she told him about her findings in Nepal, he told her more about the legends of the Rakyat. He didn't care for legacy after he got involved with Hoyt. Citra could have it all. However, after years of playing good dog, and fighting off both the Rakyat and the villagers, Vaas had had just about enough of this mess. He wanted his freedom. Instead of leaving the island and finding what he wanted out there in the world, he would reclaim his heritage and find bliss in leadership. Or so that was what he hoped. Kendra suspected he would be traveling a long road before that ever happened. He had his ambitions and she had her reservations. She neglected to tell him about the scroll her and her team managed to procure and what use it would have to him to embrace the power of the Rakyat. It was need to know only information and he certainly didn't need to know.

What interested her more than anything was his equally ambitious sister, Citra. She sounded like hell on Earth by the description. Given the tension between the two siblings, Kendra figured it was the perfect opportunity. She would need to talk to this sister soon.

Vaas was fast asleep after the proliferation of info Kendra just fed him. She was still awake, hunched over the table, examining the new charts she was given access to. She needed to come up with a plan and soon if she was going to succeed. She flipped to the back of her journal to write something when she noticed someone else's handwriting.

_I'm not dead and I hope you're not either. I teamed up with the natives and we attacked the camp but no one's here. I can only hope you see this. Just know that we're doing everything we can. - Charlie._

Kendra almost gasped out loud but the fact that Vaas was in the room stopped her. She sat up ram rod straight, blue eyes staring down at the words scrawled in her journal. Charlie was still alive when she believed for the longest that he was dead. Vaas had tried to trick her and the others into giving up hope and he almost did. She looked over at him and snapped the journal shut. If Charlie were still alive then she could definitely use his help. She decided her next step would be to get an audience with Citra and let the manipulation of the Montenegro's begin.

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**A/N: **Yikes this is short but alas it is the setup for much bigger things to come. Citra finally comes into play! n_n


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